Coffee Rings
by RagAndBones
Summary: Tony Stark is a caffeine junkie. He never thought that his unhealthy habit of downing a cup of joe every morning would lead to a head-turning, stomach-churning friendship-with-benefits situation with his once-arch-nemesis. Well, he'd been meaning to switch to tea for a while now, anyway. FrostIron, set after the movie.
1. Caffeine Junkie

If there was one thing Tony Stark couldn't live without, it was coffee.

That's why, every morning before making his way to SHIELD HQ, he stopped at a little privately-owned coffee shop. Its appeal was in its obscurity. Unlike a busy Starbucks, he wasn't harassed by the other customers for an autograph or the latest on Stark Industries tech. Most of the customers were either too old to know who he was, too engrossed in their work, or rather well-known themselves. Plus, the coffee was spectacular. There was usually a sizeable line at daybreak, and this morning was no exception.

Tony stood in line, checking the news on his phone. Stark Industries' stock had again lost points in the NASDAQ overnight. He sighed. Pepper would be calling him about that later. These days, he was too bogged down with SHIELD stuff to pay much attention to the company, instead appointing Pepper as the new CEO. However, she still yelled at him for losses in stock; she said it was because he wasn't coming up with any new technology save his "hulking metal costumes". She really didn't appreciate his genius, he thought. Those suits were light-years ahead of the rest of today's tech, and calling them cost-

"I would like a large black coffee with a shot of espresso, please. Oh, and could you throw in a blueberry muffin, too? Thank you." A lilting, posh voice caused Tony to look up from the cat GIFs on his Tumblr dash. It sounded vaguely British and unsettlingly familiar. Tony looked closer.

The man it belonged to stood at the counter, dressed simply in slim charcoal jeans, a leather jacket, and dark boots. His hair was raven-black and slightly curly. After exchanging a few bills with the barista, he walked over to the other end of the counter. Tony still couldn't see his face.

He removed his sunglasses and squinted, a nervous ball forming in the pit of his stomach. He was sure he recognized that voice from somewhere, but he just couldn't place it-

_Oh shit._

He suddenly realized, pupils blowing wide, stepping back with the force of his shock. Tony patted his coat frantically, searching for a gun he knew wasn't there. Fury had insisted he carry one, and he stupidly, _stupidly _refused, saying it would never be useful, that it would be too bulky, and now he was going to die. In a _coffee shop._

He knew Fury would get at least some satisfaction out of knowing he was right, the bastard. Tony supposed a gun wouldn't do much against a god, anyway, but at least it might slow him down. He looked around wildly, searching for something, _anything _that could act as a weapon. Coming up empty handed, he jumped.

* * *

Tony had never been very good at making split-second decisions, but this certainly took the cake for his worst one yet.

Loki lay sprawled underneath him, shock unfolding on his face. Tony had his arm pinned to his back and was almost as shocked as Loki. He was the first to regain his composure.

"Loki Laufeyson, what the _hell_ are you doing in my coffee shop?"

Tony winced. This was not turning out to be the most successful confrontation he'd ever had. Loki's face slipped into a look of extreme annoyance.

"What I am doing in _your_ coffee shop is, I assure you, perfectly harmless," he spat. "You are not the only one with a need for caffeine in the morning."

At this moment, Tony realized just how royally screwed he was. He couldn't possibly defend himself against Loki. The other customers were staring at him in shock, a few taking pictures on their phones. And his designer suit was _completely_ soaked in coffee. Suddenly, something occurred to him.

"Wait. Why haven't you teleported away? And why am I not dead?"

Loki sighed. Tony could feel the movement beneath him. "You know, Stark, for all your genius reputation, you are decidedly dull at times." He tried to turn his head, struggling slightly beneath Tony. "Will you let me up?"

"How do I know you won't try to kill me?"

Loki rolled his eyes, exasperated. "I am unarmed. And I have no magic at my disposal, either."

Tony couldn't feel a weapon, and he reckoned that if Loki could kill him, he would have by now. He reluctantly stood, offering a hand to the god on the floor. He didn't take it.

Loki brushed himself off to little result. He was almost as covered in coffee as Tony.

"Shall we sit?" He pulled out a chair at a table nearby.

Tony looked around. The other customers were almost all going back to what they were doing. Huh. "Gimme a second." Tony whipped out his phone and hit the speed dial.

"Jarvis, did you catch that little disaster?"

"I did, sir. Congratulations, you just tackled a Norse god to the ground."

"Cool is with the sass, Jarvis, or I'll downgrade your browsing system to Internet Explorer. Now, how many pictures of my escapade are currently floating out in the cloud?"

"Several hundred, sir."

Tony swore under his breath. Screw the internet age. "Can you take care of those for me?"

"Of course, sir." Tony ended the call and took a seat across from Loki, who was dabbing coffee off his brow with a napkin. The black-haired man eyed him expectantly.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

Loki sighed theatrically. "No, Stark. You have questions. I am only here still so that I may answer them."

"Oh. That's… kind of you." The other man shrugged dismissively. "Well, then. Uh, why haven't you killed me yet?"

"Must we go over this again? Because I am without magic, I am unarmed, and you're simply not worth my time."

"Gee, thanks. But where is your magic? And weren't you imprisoned on Asgard?"

"I'd rather not tell you. I am afraid you will tell Odin and cause me to lose the limited freedom I have obtained."

"No, I won't. I mean, as long as you're not killing people. Are you?"

"Am I what?" Loki raised a delicate eyebrow.

"You know… killing people."

Loki laughed melodically. "Would I really jeopardize my freedom by exposing myself like that? And what could I possibly gain from it? No, Stark, I am not killing mortals for pure pleasure. That's not… my style, as you Midgardians put it."

"If I swear not to speak to anyone about this little, uh… meeting, will you tell me how you can be here? I have already made sure they're no photographs of it."

"And why do you expect me to trust you? If I tell you, Odin will hear of it and see that I am not totally imprisoned. If not, all you can do is say that you saw me in a coffee shop, of all places. People will think you were simply drunk. That wouldn't be much of a stretch, if what I've heard about you is correct."

"I could give you something in exchange."

"And what would you have that I could possibly desire?"

Tony scrambled momentarily for an answer. "My phone number."

Loki laughed again, and Tony almost smiled at the sound. Then he remembered this was the man who had slaughtered hundreds of people in order to make his father proud. He really should just turn him in. But his curiosity had gotten the best of him, and it didn't seem like he was causing anyone any harm.

"Why would I want your phone number?"

"That way you can keep track of me, and you can call me to ask for information on the Avengers initiative."

Did he really just sell out his entire team? Well, you couldn't accuse the man of being selfless. Thankfully, Loki replied with, "I have no need for such information. But I will accept the exchange of your phone number, if you swear to answer any questions I have at a later date."

"All right, then." Tony wrote his number on a slip of paper and slid it to the god across the table. Loki plucked it from the edge and slipped into the breast pocket of his jacket.

"I suppose I should start from the beginning.

"When I was captured, Thor put that dreadful muzzle and handcuffs on me-"

Tony smirked. "It was kind of kinky."

"Don't interrupt," Loki said scoldingly. "They hindered my magical capabilities. We used the Bifrost to travel to Asgard, and he brought me to Odin. Odin decided I was to be imprisoned for a hundred years."

"What, only a hundred? You killed a ton of people and destroyed New York! Plus, you guys live to be thousands of years old, right?"

"Yes, but you forget that Odin has no use for Midgardians either. He believes you are all a bunch of worthless apes."

Tony scoffed. "Apes who kicked your ass," he muttered.

Loki ignored him. "I was imprisoned in a custom-designed cell, one that supposedly suppressed my powers. However, Odin, much like my brother, is totally unaware of how powerful I really am." He gave a terrifying smile. "Using a spare reserve of magic, I created a duplicate of myself. One that could stay in the cell while I escaped. I poured all of my magic into him, so that I would not be able to be traced through my magic. Then, I just slipped out in the middle of the night."

"How did you get to Earth?'

"My brother was visiting Jane Foster and I slipped into the Bifrost behind him. I've been here ever since."

Tony had to admit that the plan was stunning in its simplicity. "But how do they not notice you're gone?"

"I have instructed the duplicate to perform daily functions in my absence. I will regain my magic when we are again united."

Leaning back in his chair, he said, "Wow. How long ago did you arrive on Earth? I know it's been three years since we captured you, but-"

"I arrived a mere month after you captured me."

Tony stared. "So you've been here all this time? What have you been doing?"

"I believe that's enough questions, Mr. Stark," Loki chided. He stood swiftly, gathering his coat.

Tony stood, too, and followed Loki out of the shop. They stood on the sidewalk together, breath fogging in the cold.

"Wait, but I need to know-"

"_Goodbye,_ Stark. Until next time." Loki strolled over to a sleek black Japanese motorcycle. He procured a helmet out of nowhere and swung his leg over the bike, starting the engine.

Tony gawked at him. "You've got to be kidding me. The God of Mischief and Lies on a crotch rocket. Now I've seen everything."

It was muffled by the sound of the engine and the helmet, but Tony thought he heard a "Not hardly," before Loki sped away.

* * *

**So this is my first fanfiction ever, and I would appreciate reviews so much! I don't know if I should continue this or not, I'll decide depending on the response I get. ;)**

**3 RagAndBones**


	2. Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Tony had arrived to SHIELD HQ in a daze and covered in cold coffee. When he tried to quietly slip into his conference room seat, Fury turned around in the middle of his presentation and gave him a chilling glare. However, he soon went back to his PowerPoint.

"What happened, Tony?" Steve asked as he leaned over the table. "And why are you covered in cold coffee?" Tony just waved him off and closed his eyes.

He was finally allowed to go home when the stench emanating from his ruined suit became too much for Fury to handle. "Go home and clean yourself up, Stark, that smell is giving me a headache. And don't bother coming back, either, I can tell you're not listening." Tony didn't object, he just left.

He got back to StarkTower and took a forty-five minute shower. Then, hair still dripping wet, he flopped into bed and fell promptly asleep.

* * *

Tony's eyes cracked open. He groaned loudly, stretching his arms in the light filtering through the curtains. _That was a really weird dream, _he thought. _ Not bad, necessarily, just weird. _He sat up and rubbed his eyes, his hair sticking up at odd angles. Then he spied the rumpled, coffee-stained suit on the floor.

_Damn._ "Jarvis? What day is it?"

"It is the sixteenth of November, sir."

"And did the thing with you-know-who really happen yesterday?"

"Certainly, sir. The evidence is right there before you."

Tony swore again and thought for a moment. After a beat, Jarvis interrupted with, "Sir? I believe there is something you may want to see."

"What?" Tony said warily.

Jarvis pulled up a story in the New York Times. STARK TACKLES COFFEE HOUSE CUSTOMER read the headline. It wasn't front-page, thank God, and there were no pictures, but he would _definitely _be getting an angry call from Pepper. And actually-

"Has Fury seen this?"

"Of course, sir. He is on his way over as we speak."

Tony cursed and leaped out of bed as if he'd been shocked. He frantically pulled on pants and a shirt, kicking his ruined suit underneath the dresser. Trying to pull his other shoe on, he hopped out his bedroom door. He thundered down the stairs and grabbed a mug, the paper, and a banana on his way to the kitchen table. _Good thing I'm not drunk, _he thought. Just as he sat down, the door burst open with a crack.

"Jarvis! Security's down again! We can't just let everyone in here, you know."

Fury stormed over to Tony, grabbing the lapels of his suit in tightly clenched fists. Pepper trotted in behind him.

"STARK! _Please_ tell me the papers are grossly misinformed about you little _misdeed_ yesterday."

Tony held up a hand, plastering a carefully nonchalant look on his face. "Fury, you can't shout like that so early in the morning, some people like to wake up _slowly_. And you might give yourself an aneurism."

Fury gritted his teeth and Tony stumbled as he let go of his jacket. "Seriously, Stark. What happened?"

"I just had a misunderstanding, that's all. The person looked like someone I knew and I overreacted."

The director made a noise of disbelief. "This is someone who you would _tackle_ if you saw them? What, an old girlfriend or something?"

"No, I don't tackle women. And he was a man, anyway."

"So an old boyfriend?"

Tony choked on the banana. "Uh, no. I may be a playboy, but I haven't run out of women yet."

"So who was it, then?" Fury eyed him doubtfully.

"Just a guy from college." Tony furrowed his brow and waved his hand. "It wasn't him, anyway, so it doesn't even matter." He took a bite of his banana.

Fury grunted. "Hmm. Well, since nobody knows who he was and he's not suing, you get off on a warning. But if something like this happens again, there _will _be consequences." He tuned on his heel and left, coat flapping behind him.

Pepper stepped forward. "Well I won't yell at you after _that_. But I want you to know that you need to be more responsible and think more about your public image." She thrust a fat folder into his chest. "And you need to take a look at these."

Tony held up his hands and made a face. "Nuh uh. No. Don't like being handed things, remember?"

"Too bad. The company is losing money and you need to come up new designs for the Stark Phone. And stop tinkering with the suits. You're getting obsessive."

Tony sighed loudly. "Ugh, fine. Just leave me alone." He turned away from her.

"Whatever. Goodbye, Tony." She waited a moment, and when he didn't say anything further, left. The sound of her heels on the floor followed her out.

Tony sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He tossed the folder onto the counter, poured himself a glass of whiskey, and wandered down to his workshop. He needed to think.

* * *

"Jarvis, turn boot thrust capacity up to forty percent."

The suit's left boot had been handling strangely, and he was trying to find the cause. It was a mindless task, simple troubleshooting, and gave him an opportunity to mull over yesterday's events.

What really baffled him was why Loki had decided to talk to him at all. Loki had been right that if SHIELD heard him say he had seen the god in a coffee shop, in civilian clothes, with a _motorcycle_, nobody would believe him. But now, if he told them (and Thor) how Loki escaped, they could potentially capture him. So how was Loki sure he wouldn't tell?

Tony picked up his phone and dialed Fury's number before he could change his mind. Hesitantly putting it up to is ear, he listened to it ring. Loki was almost human now. If he was captured by SHIELD, he would surely be tortured for information. Without the knowledge that he had lost his magic, they could easily kill him. And he wasn't hurting anyone (so far, at least). Tony decided he should just hang u-

"This is SHIELD Director Fury." The voice was loud and tinny in Tony's ear. He jumped and hung up, his finger stabbing the button lightning-fast. He stood there, breathing hard.

_Damn. What am I doing?_ Something occurred to him and he slapped his hand to his forehead. _And why the hell did I give the God of Mischief my freaking phone number? _He thought for a moment and smirked. "The worst thing he can do is prank call me, anyway," he said aloud, chuckling.

"Pardon, sir, what was that?"

"Nothing, Jarvis. Nothing." _I'll just wait to see what he does. _"Turn thruster capacity up to one hundred."

* * *

Loki wasn't at the coffee shop at all that week.

Or the next.

Or the one after that.

Tony looked for him, even stayed later than usual in order to talk to the god. Ask more questions. And honestly, he was extremely curious about how he passed his time on Earth. Tony wouldn't admit it, but he was disappointed in the lack of black-haired, crotch-rocket riding (he still couldn't believe that part) Norse gods in the little shop.

Soon, he realized he was obsessing, as Pepper would put it (he tended to do that a lot). From then on, every time he thought about Loki, he pushed the thought out of his head. Eventually, he convinced himself that he wouldn't see Loki again and would soon forget about him.

Of course, that was when he got the first call.

* * *

**Hello, dear readers! **

**I am so grateful for everyone who reads and reviews! They are what keep me going, otherwise I might get bored and stop writing. Or shoot the wall. Hmm... maybe I should give out imaginary prizes. How's this: *gameshow host voice* everyone who reviews gets... A STARK PHONE! That's right, ladies and gents, Tony's design will be YOURS, for the low price of ONE REVIEW! *claps***

******Sorry that this is such a Tony-centric chapter, there will be more Loki in the next one. And I'm ****_not_**** sorry that this is a cliffhanger! Ehehehe! *twirls villain mustache deviously***

**Much love,**

**RagAndBones**

**P.S. I feel like I need another brain filtering this before it goes out to the masses. ****Anyone interested in Beta reading for me?** I am, like I said, totally new to this, so I might need a little help in figuring out how that works.

**P.P.S. Any suggestions are welcome. They may be used in later chapters!**


	3. Old Books and Nighttime Calls

If Loki Laufeyson was anything at all, he was well-prepared. He had conducted his research (mainly by eavesdropping on Thor's conversations with Jane Foster) and discovered that in order to get along at all on Midgard, you needed a decent amount of currency. And that this currency was transferred electronically. Which was perfect. With a simple spark of magic, Loki could have everything he needed in order to live comfortably on Earth. So, he walked to the nearest bank and casually laid a hand on the teller's computer, creating an account for himself in the blink of an eye by using up the minuscule, nearly-untraceable reserve of magic left at his disposal. He added as many zeroes as he felt necessary, which, if judging by the teller's reaction, were quite a few. He walked out of the bank with four thousand dollars in cash and a new credit card in his name.

Loki was a fast learner and soon adapted to the Midgardian lifestyle. By the end of the first month, he was living comfortably in a penthouse apartment just a few blocks from Stark Tower. It was furnished to be reflective of his tastes: elegant black leather and gold, with green scattered about. He decided he rather liked the minimalist style, rejecting the overstated extravagance that were his chambers in Asgard.

Loki discovered that he absolutely loved New York City. He wouldn't admit it, of course, but he almost regretted trying to destroy it three years prior. He didn't really understand why he had grown so fond of it, either. Usually he enjoyed settings with more... cleanliness. But the sprawling, noisy, smelly mess of it had captured his heart. Every day he woke early in order to walk to his favorite coffee shop (he had grown very fond of the drink after tasting it once at an art show; now he couldn't imagine a day without it). He went to the library frequently and checked out several guidebooks, learning as much as he could about the city.

The New York Public Library was Loki's favorite thing about New York, by far. He had always been an avid reader, but had soon exhausted the small reserve of books Odin had in his personal collection. He was discouraged from seeking other sources of information, as book learning was widely regarded as a woman's occupation on Asgard. But he had regained his passion for it after his first day among the tall, quiet stacks of the library. He checked out everything from adventure books to romance novels to how-to guides, and devoured anything he could lay his hands on. He would often stay up into the wee hours of the morning poring over the pages of his latest find. He soon picked up skills that were unique to his life on Earth, such as knitting, cooking, and minor auto repair (it was after acquiring this talent that he picked out his Yamaha R-6 motorcycle).

He was also introduced to the wonders of the internet, via the Library's computer bank. It was amazing how much information was accessible at the simple click of a button. Loki soon went out and bought himself a laptop.

* * *

The raven-haired god gazed out the window of his apartment to the nighttime glitter of the city below, a drink clutched lightly in his delicate fingers. He had been thinking about his meeting with Stark again. He was baffled not only by Stark's promise to keep their unfortunate meeting a secret, but also by his own behavior.

He had done research on Stark when he first came to Earth. Of all those involved in the Avengers Initiative, he seemed to be the most compelling. The story Loki unearthed shocked him in its similarity to his own. Stark, too, had had issues with his father. He was reportedly a genius and excelled in his field, but had deviated from what his father expected of him. Perhaps this sameness was why he had been so surprisingly open to Stark.

But there had been something about the man himself, too. Something had disarmed Loki; had caused him to lower his guard. Perhaps it was the casual way the engineer had about him, and how easily he slipped into conversation. Either way, Loki wanted to find out more about him. Take him apart and see how every piece ticked. But he was hesitant; that was why he had been avoiding the coffee shop.

He had finally found the perfect question that would allow him to speak to Stark more and to address a curiosity that had been nagging at him for a while. Pulling the slip of paper out of his pocket, Loki dialed the number into the telephone. There was a click on the third ring

"Tony Stark speaking."

"Do you remember our deal, Stark?"

There was a tense pause on the other side of the line. "Loki, it's been six weeks. What makes you call now?"

"I am in need of some information. However, it won't easily be explained over the telephone."

"And what information is that?"

"I am curious as to how your iron suit functions."

There was another pause, shorter this time. "Wait, you actually care about my Iron Man suit? I would have thought that would be beneath you."

"Yes, I am curious. Are you free next week on Tuesday?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Excellent. I shall see you then. I will be outside your Stark Tower at one o' clock."

"Wait! Why-" Tony spluttered.

Loki ended the call. He felt slightly remorseful, being so cold, but soon pushed the sentiment away. He went to pour himself another drink, grabbing _The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ on the way to his bedroom.

* * *

**Hello again!**

**Sorry this chapter is short, it was a bitch to write. It was one of those chapters that could be classified as "boring but important". I know, I know. *dodges rotten fruit* But at least they meet again in the next chapter! Aha! An opportunity for sexual tension, hehehe...**

**I'd like to thank each and every single one of you that reads and reviews. They kept me going when I almost gave up on this stupid chapter. You will all be getting your very own Yamaha R-6 motorcycles in the mail! Yay! (But you get to pay for shipping.)**

**Also, I'd like to thank my spectacular beta, cara-tanaka. She helps me with my odd phrasings and strange sentence structure just out of the goodness of her heart. Thank you, dear, I appreciate it so much!**

**Until next time! (Which will hopefully be a longer chapter.)  
RagAndBones**

**P.S. This week I'm on vacation, so expect only one or two updates. Sorry! :(**


	4. Iron and Wine

The week went by at a blinding speed for Tony. It was unusually busy; there was a new Chinese criminal organization that SHIELD was investigating. They wanted him to design them a new surveillance bot and he couldn't put off the new Stark Phone designs he'd promised Pepper any longer. He was constantly either in his workshop (most of the time) or sleeping (not enough of the time). By the time Tuesday came around, he had almost forgotten about his meeting with Loki.

Almost.

When Jarvis announced that he had a visitor coming up in the elevator, Tony nearly jumped out of his skin. He had been in the zone, working diligently on the pile of work he still had to do. He walked out into the foyer, silently thanking whoever it was that helped him remember to shower that morning.

As the elevator doors slid open, Tony realized just how nervous he was. He had a buzz of anxiety in his stomach but he dismissed it as just being from the stress of the past week. He blinked once, hard and tried to clear his mind.

Loki stepped out, dressed in his customary black leather jacket and boots, a motorcycle helmet tucked under one arm. He had on a deep green v-neck shirt over slim jeans and a silver chain around his pale throat. His black hair was brushed away from his face, a few loose strands falling to brush his high ceekbones. Tony hesitated for a moment, still not used to seeing him dressed in such modern clothes. But he soon came back to his senses.

"Jarvis, did you do a weapons check?"

"Of course, sir."

"And?"

"There seemed to be no hazardous materials or weapons on his person nor a trace of magical essence."

Loki raised an eyebrow and gave him a slightly offended glance. "Really, Stark? Do you find me that reckless? If I wanted to kill you, I certainly wouldn't do it in your home surrounded by cameras and in such close proximity to your suit."

"Wow. Reassuring, thanks. Now, I know not to follow you into any dark alleys."

Loki stepped forward and thrust his helmet into Tony's arms. Tony, surprised, took it from him. _What happened to not being handed things?_

"So. Um..." he blubbered.

"Yes. Where is your suit?" Loki looked at him expectantly.

"It's in my workshop. Follow me." Tony flew down the stairs, dropping the helmet on a little table near the entrance. The glass door slid open and Tony sauntered inside. Loki followed.

"So, what do you want to know?" He turned to face the god, who was looking somewhat uncomfortable amongst the various technological marvels. Loki gaped at him.

"Okay then. How about we start with a tour of the outside?" He picked up the headpiece that was lying on a table nearby and slid off the faceplate with a click.

"This is the high-resolution brilliance display monitor that allows me to control the suit's functions. It has a wireless router that connects to Jarvis's AI back here. It also monitors my vital signs while I'm hooked up to the suit." He scrutinized Loki, who seemed genuinely interested.

"What is 'AI'?"

"Oh. Stands for 'Artificial Intelligence'. Basically means Jarvis is a supercomputer with human like intelligence."

Loki nodded. "And does the computer in the suit rely on the artificial intelligence or are they independent?"

Tony was shocked. He had expected this to be similar to explaining technology to Thor, which in turn was like talking to a big, blond brick wall. He didn't think his black-haired brother might actually have some idea of what he was talking about. But now that he thought about it, Thor had said Loki was somewhat of a genius himself. Huh.

"No, they can perform independently if necessary. But the suit's full potential is unlocked when it's hooked up to the AI." He then gestured at the chestplate. "The suit is totally powered by my arc reactor-" he tapped the glowing disk in his chest "- which hooks up here." He held up a thin wire.

"For how long can your reactor power the suit?"

"As far as I know, indefinitely. But I'm sure there's a limit, I just haven't reached it yet."

Loki made an appreciative sound and leaned forward. "May I take a closer look?"

"Uh, sure. Yeah. Let me just..." he popped off the front plate of the chest piece. Loki stepped forward and peered into the dark cavity, just inches away from Tony. Tony could smell him now, a mixture of coffee and old books. But there was an underlying sweetness, too, something that he couldn't identify. He breathed in deeply.

"What?" Loki looked up.

"Hm? Oh, nothing." Squatting down to examine the legs, Tony tapped the gold-painted thigh. Loki squatted alongside him and Tony was suddenly _very_ aware that their knees were touching. He swallowed. "These store most of the computer parts, as well as housing some miniature missile launchers. And the calves have extra rocket boosters installed in their back sides."

"But the majority of the lift derives from the feet. Am I correct?" Loki eyed him intently.

"Uh, yeah. How'd you know?"

Loki gave an open-mouthed smile. "I watch the news, Stark. Just like any other New Yorker."

Tony paused. He kept forgetting that Loki was almost human now; that he did normal things like watch the news and drink coffee. He had imagined him living in a dark cavern in the sewers, maybe with some green magic torches and bones on the floor. And a cauldron. Definitely a cauldron.

He stood and picked up a gauntlet from a work table strewn with tools. "The gloves here have more thrusters but mostly for navigational and stabilizing purposes." He handed it to the other man. "Here, try it on."

Loki put it on gingerly, flexing his fingers. His eyebrows raised appreciatively. "It is surprisingly light for its size." He took it off. "And you have rather short fingers, Stark." He smirked.

"Wha- no I don't! Yours are just freakishly long." He crossed his arms. "Anyway, that's about it for the suit." He thought for a moment. "Do you want a drink or something?"

"Actually, yes. That sounds nice."

Tony turned and left the workshop, calling out a "Jarvis, lights!" behind him. Loki ascended the stairs next to him. They entered the elevator together and Tony pushed the button for the uppermost level. He turned to face the god.

"So, I'm curious. What exactly have you been occupying your time with here on Earth?"

"I read quite a bit."

"Oh?" Tony stepped out of the elevator and onto the stone floor. "Do you remember when Bruce smashed you into the floor here?" He gestured.

Loki grimaced. "Unfortunately, yes."

"The floor took me weeks to repair, you know. This is the highest-quality granite, imported from Africa."

"I'm glad you had something to remember me by, at least for a little while."

Tony grunted. "What do you want to drink? I've got pretty much every kind of liquor you can imagine, coffee, tea..."

"I'll take a Manhattan."

"I'll admit I'm surprised you even know what that is," Tony said while mixing the vermouth and whisky.

Loki shrugged. "I read a book on bartending." He reached up to get two glasses from the top shelf, his shirt lifting up to expose a strip of pale skin at the base of his spine.

Tony found it very distracting and almost spilled the drinks. He coughed. "So. You read, you watch the news, you drink coffee... anything else? No criminal activity? Even without your magic, you could be laundering money, embezzling, insurance scams... maybe you're taking down the stock market from the inside out."

Curiously, Loki laughed. "No, Stark. I can concede that the Midgardian stock market is one of the few things I can't seem to work out. But to tell the truth, I occupy much of my time writing. It was something I enjoyed as a child and I have found the opportunity to rediscover it here. In fact, Midgard has helped me rekindle many of my childhood passions."

"What kind of stuff do you write about? Are you published?"

"Yes, I am published, but obviously under a pseudonym."

Tony grinned. "Ooh, can I read it? Please?"

"No." Loki looked out the window and sipped his drink.

Tony stepped closer and lowered his voice. "Why not?"

"Because, Stark, I-" Loki looked him up and down, surprised at their proximity. His mouth was slightly open and he unconsciously licked his lower lip. Tony followed the movement closely.

Loki tried again. "Well, you-" Tony studied his pale throat almost hungrily. His eyes slowly made their way back up, lingering on his mouth. But when his brown irises aligned with Loki's green, he started, seeming to come out of a daze.

Tony stepped backwards with an "Uh, sorry," and swiped Loki's empty glass from the counter top. He turned his back on those green eyes- _Ohmygod, I was _leaning in,_ dammit what am I doing- _and started haphazardly throwing dishes into the sink.

Loki cleared his throat, only mildly troubled. "Well, Stark, I appreciate this invitation. It has been pleasant." He considered for a moment. "I believe it's only fair that I now extend an invitation to you." Tony stopped clinking dishes but didn't turn around. "Would you like to join me at my apartment for dinner, this time next week?"

Tony met his eyes. "Yeah, actually. That would be nice."

Loki beamed at him. "Splendid. I shall pick you up at the coffee shop, say about five o'clock?"

Tony smiled back hesitantly. "Sure."

"Now, I must be going. Thank you for your hospitality." He grabbed his helmet and tucked it underneath his arm. Shrugging his coat on, he walked to the elevator.

"Bye," Tony replied quietly to the closing doors.

He stood still for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts.

"Jarvis, show me the outside security cam footage."

"Certainly, sir."

Jarvis pulled up a video feed on the countertop. After a few seconds, Loki walked into the frame. He sauntered over to his bike, which was parked just outside. He straddled it and made to put on his helmet, hesitating slightly. He took a moment to crane his neck and look up the Tower.

Tony ran to the window and peered down hundreds of feet to see the little black speck drive off down the street. He leaned against the pane of glass when the dot had disappeared, sighing deeply. He ran his fingers through his hair. He suddenly realized what had happened.

_Did I just make a dinner date with Loki?_

* * *

**My beautiful readers,**

**Ohoho! Sexual tension time! Yeah! *fistpump* Let's torture out characters a bit longer, shall we?**

**I'd like to thank my wonderful beta, cara-tanaka, yet again. Her job is a thankless but nessescary one. I appreciate it!**

**Thank you to everyone who reads and reviews. You will all recieve your very own miniature Iron Man suit, perfect for use as a paperweight or projectile. *throws Iron Man suit at cat***

**The next chapter will be non-essential plotwise, but will hopefully be flirty and funny. Yay!**

**In other news, I'm still on vacation. Next week I'll be home, but the week after that I'm going on vacation again. :(**

**All my love,  
****RagAndBones**

**P.S. Please, please give me suggestions! I do so love them.**

**P.P.S. For those of you wondering what Loki's motorcycle looks like, there's a link to the picture on my profile. It's pretty sweet. I kind of want one.**


	5. Coffeehouse Conversation

Tony was walking on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop on Thursday when he spotted a familiar black motorcycle sitting outside. He dithered a moment, unsure of whether he should go in after their awkwardness two days ago. But he finally decided it was better to just get it over with. The bell jingled cheerily as he pushed open the door.

He immediately recognized Loki on a laptop in the café window, slightly bobbing his head to the music pumping through his ear buds. After getting his coffee- "Black with two sugars, please,"- he pulled out the chair across from him. Loki didn't look up, his fingers continuing to fly across the keyboard.

"Hi," Tony said.

"Hello," Loki replied distractedly.

"What are you doing?"

"I am-" he closed his computer "-just finishing." He took out his ear buds.

"What were you listening to?"

Loki raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Music." He sipped his coffee.

Tony made a buzzing noise. "That answer is invalid and recognized as a cop-out. Please try again."

"Fine. If you must know, it was Shakira."

Tony choked on his coffee. "_What?_ I had finally accepted with the crotch rocket and now you also listen to _Shakira_? My god, the next thing you'll be telling me is that you read romance novels."

Loki raised his eyebrows and smiled slightly.

"No. No way. You don't actually read romance novels, do you?"

Loki kept smiling.

"Oh my god." He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Stark, I should have you know that I read everything. There is not a genre out there that I haven't explored at least a little."

"What's your favorite book, then?"

He thought for a moment. "I like _To Kill a Mockingbird._ And I think that the dictionary is quite useful. But I also enjoyed _Bossypants._Tina Fey is hysterical."

"Yeah, she is. I don't read much but I loved that book."

"Mmm." Loki sipped his coffee and observed the traffic outside.

Tony watched him drink, his lips delicately wrapping around the mouth of the cup. He tried to mimic his elegance but ended up spilling coffee down his front. Loki snickered.

Tony made a face but eventually a grin broke out across his features. He started laughing too and soon both their shoulders were shaking and there were tears in their eyes.

Loki looked at him up through his long eyelashes and Tony's heart skipped a beat. His stomach clenched and his pulse quickened. The raven-haired god's smile was positively sinister.

_And very sexy, _thought Tony before he could stop himself.

The smile slipped off his face and he glanced at his phone. "Um, sorry, I have to go. Fury will have an aneurysm if I'm late again." He stood.

"Well, that's fine." Loki was opening his computer and putting his ear buds back in.

"Bye." Tony waved.

"Goodbye."

Tony had his hand on the door when he heard his name. He looked around to see Loki behind him.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" the god asked, his eyebrows knitting slightly.

"If you'd like me to," Tony replied with a smile.

* * *

Loki thundered up to the coffee shop on his motorbike, hunched over and streamlined. He decided that along with coffee and the library, the motorcycle was one of humankind's greatest inventions.

He pulled up in front and killed the engine. Pulling his helmet off, he huffed a cloudy breath into the cold. He ran his fingers through his hair, brushing it out of his face. A few loose strands fell into his eyes and he blew them away. He dismounted and traipsed into the coffee house.

This time, Stark was already sitting at the table by the window. He waved and Loki returned the gesture. After grabbing his drink, he shrugged off his coat and sat down. Before he could even open his mouth, Stark spoke.

"Is it true that you gave birth to an eight-legged horse?"

Loki adjusted his scarf. "I see you have researched me."

"Yeah and now I'm super curious. Did you and Thor also dress up as women in order to get Mjolnir back?"

"Which shall I answer first?"

"Definitely the horse one," Tony said eagerly.

"All right. I did give birth to my son, Sleipnir. I was impregnated by Svadilfari when I was in the form of a mare and yes, he does have eight legs."

"Woah." Tony leaned back in his chair and smiled. "That's crazy."

Loki shrugged nonchalantly. "It is not so unusual."

"Whatever you say. Did it hurt? What was it like being a lady horse?"

"Honestly, it was quite painful. And being a mare was prosaic to say the least. I got tired of grass very quickly."

Tony chuckled. "Do you have other kids?"

"Yes, my daughter Hel and my son Fenrir. However, neither were birthed by me."

"Do you talk to them at all? Like, is there some sort of child support thing for gods?"

"No, no. I haven't spoken to any of my children for hundreds of years."

"Wow. Do you miss them?"

Loki looked out the window pensively. There was a mother and her daughter walking across the street, their coats wrapped tight against the cold. "I suppose I do." he admitted softly.

Tony could see he had hit a nerve so he put his questions aside.

Loki turned to him with a leer. "How true are the ridiculous rumors about you, Stark?"

"They're all accurate, I'm sure," he said cockily.

"Hm, really? Even the rumor that there are gay lovers among the hordes of women you take to bed?" He smirked devilishly.

Tony blushed, his ears getting red and hot. "I.. I'll admit I haven't heard that one before."

"You know Stark," Loki said, leaning forward intimately and lowering his voice to a whisper, "It's all fine." He grinned seductively.

Tony couldn't meet his eyes. "Uh, okay."

Loki reached out and put a smooth, pale hand over Tony's rough, tanned one. "No. You don't understand." His voice was low and coarse.

Tony looked into his green eyes, shocked by their intensity. He suddenly realized he was both very, very uncomfortable and very, very aroused. Which was probably why he was uncomfortable. He could feel Loki's sweet breath on his face. His eyes fluttered closed and he leaned in slightly-

All of a sudden, the cool hand on his was gone and Loki was sitting back in his chair again as if nothing had happened. Tony's eyes flew open and he glanced, somewhat disappointed at his hand.

"Well, Stark, I must be going. The library closes early today." Loki stood and shrugged his coat on.

"What? Oh. Okay, bye." He glanced up at the tall god who was looking at him intently. "Do I have something on my face?" Tony asked.

Loki snorted. "No, why do you always assume as much?"

"Because whenever someone gives me a look like that, it means that either I've got something on my face or I'm about to get laid."

Loki laughed and gave him a lethal smile. "Goodbye, Stark. See you tomorrow." He turned and made his way to the door, the bell jingling on his way out.

Tony saw him saunter over to his bike. He slid his leg over the powerful machine, straddling it lightly. He slipped the helmet over his dark hair and drove off, a black streak atop a roaring engine.

Tony watched him go, humming tunelessly.

* * *

When he woke up the next morning, Loki realized he had forgotten that today he had an appointment with his editor. After a moment of thought, he decided it would be rude to stand Stark up. (And then he took another moment to mark the fact that he cared at all.) He reckoned the best course of action would be to text Stark.

_Stark, this is Loki. I apologize, I forgot that I had a meeting this morning. I won't be able to make it to the coffee shop._

After only a few seconds, there was a reply. _loki what the hell are you doing up? it's only nine in the morning!_

_Yes, that is a normal time to be awake for other people._

_thats bull. _

Loki chuckled. _Only you would think so. _He thought for a moment, then added, _Did I wake you?_

_no, but i wouldn't have minded if you had. ;)_

Loki didn't know what to say to that so he left the phone on his bedside table while he took a shower. He was getting dressed, his wet hair making beads of water slide down his neck, when he realized his phone had three more messages, all from Tony:

_on tuesday are we eating in or out?_

_can you cook?_

_i cant. once i tried to make an omelette for pepper and she threw it out without even tasting it._

Loki immediately fired back, _I could teach you if you like. I am told I'm quite good at it. And we will be eating in on Tuesday._

_good. that means no paparazzi. what would they say if they saw me with you?_

_Probably that we were having a torrid love affair. ;)_

It was a long time until the next text came. Loki was just getting off his bike in front of the editor's office when he felt his pocket buzz.

_good luck in your meeting!_

_Thank you, Stark. Your timing was perfect. _

_:)_

Loki smiled somewhat sweetly at that.

* * *

**Hello, lovelies! **

**Mmm. Flirtyness galore! Poor Tony, Loki is SUCH a tease. *girly giggle* He just likes to mess with him. Well, he is the God of Mischief, after all. **

**I like writing these oneshot chapters. Should there be more of them? Please tell me!**

**Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews, as usual. I had a difficult morning, but your reviews cheered me up SO MUCH! Thank you! In exchange, you will all be receiving dinner date with either Loki or Tony! You're paying, though. What can I say? They're cheap, despite being multimillionaires. Ah, well. *glares at Loki and Tony***

**Thank you to cara-tanaka. This chapter was written at one o' clock in the morning, and believe me, the only reason it's legible is because of her. ;)**

**And one more thing. This last week was a frenzy of writing, but now I'm sort of slowing down, so updates will come about once or twice a week for a while. (Especially once school starts. Sorry!)**

**Love to you all!  
RagAndBones**

**P.S. Still looking for suggestions!**


	6. Dinner in the Midnight City

It was Tuesday. Tony waited outside in the cold, his breath fogging out from between his lips like cigarette smoke. His brown wool coat was wrapped tightly around him. He had on striped mittens and a hat, which in his opinion, could single handedly eliminate the manliness of any person on this Earth. Except maybe Thor, he looked sort of imposing in anything.

He checked his watch. It was just past five. Loki would be here any minute. He readjusted his coat and shoved his mittens deeper into his coat pockets.

A moment later, he heard a familiar grumble coming down the street. Crap. He hadn't really realized that Loki picking him up meant on his motorcycle. Tony's feelings towards the god were mixed-up and unfamiliar but he knew being pressed against him on a motorbike was a bad idea.

Loki pulled up and cut the engine. He took off his helmet and shook his hair out, a few strands sticking up haphazardly. Tony strolled over trying to seem as calm as possible.

"Hi."

"Hello. Are you ready?" Loki scooted forward and patted the little seat behind him. He handed Tony the helmet.

Tony unbuttoned his coat and swung his leg over the bike. "Uh..." he blabbered, unsure where to put his hands.

Loki rolled his eyes and grabbed Tony's hands. He placed them on his waist and sat forward, pulling his hair out of his collar. "Hold tight!"

Tony encircled Loki's waist with his arms as they shot forward. He had never ridden on the back of a motorcycle and to be honest, the lack of control was terrifying. He felt like any moment he was going to fall off and become a smear on the pavement. Suddenly over the roar, he heard Loki's voice in his ear.

"Don't be afraid, Stark. I won't let you fall."

"I'm not afraid. Just... exhilarated."

"Really? Should I go faster then?" he gunned the engine.

Tony tensed and grabbed tighter. "No! I mean..."

Loki laughed and Tony could feel the vibrations through his back. His black hair was streaming behind him and into Tony's face. It smelled like apples.

Sooner than he had expected, Loki pulled into a parking garage under a fancy apartment building. He parked in a designated spot next to a gleaming sports car and hopped off the bike. He had a huge smile on his face as he held out his hand to Tony.

Tony took it and stepped off the bike. He swayed a moment and gave Loki a scathing glance.

"You drive like a madman." Tony tossed the helmet to him.

Loki chuckled and caught it effortlessly. "One of Earth's many pleasures." He strolled over to the elevator and pushed a button.

Tony stepped into the elevator with him. "What's for dinner?"

"I'm making veal marsala."

"Yummy. I love veal. But then again, I have expensive tastes."

The corner of Loki's mouth quirked and they stepped off of the elevator on the top floor. There was a single door in the tiny hallway.

"You live in a penthouse?" Tony asked, amazed.

Loki smirked. "What can I say? I have expensive tastes." He pushed his way inside.

Tony gave him a look and stepped into the apartment. It was pitch black. "Take your shoes off," came Loki's voice from the darkness.

All of a sudden, light flooded the floor and Tony could see. The apartment was truly furnished expensively. There was a circular conversation pit with a glowing table in the center of it, the sofa cushions in various shades of green. The kitchen was to the left with black granite countertops and silver bar stools. A few doors on the right presumably led to the bedroom area.

Loki's boots were by the door, and his coat was haphazardly thrown over a bar stool. The man himself was peering into the fridge, rummaging around for something.

Tony ambled over to the floor-to-ceiling windows that looked over the city. Night was just falling and the dusky glow hovered over the tall buildings. The purplish sky looked mysterious and full of possibilities.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Loki's voice came from beside him. He had a drink in one hand, the other in the pocket of his jeans.

"Yeah, you've got a better view here than I do at home. What are you drinking?"

Loki grinned. "It's called a Loki."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "No way."

"Yes, way."

"Can I have one?"

"Maybe later. Their alcohol content is quite high. Wouldn't want to spoil the meal with your drunkenness now, would you?"

"Oh, come on. I can hold my alcohol."

Loki made a doubtful sound. "We'll see about that," he mumbled with a smile. "Would you like some wine instead?"

"Nah, I'll just have a Manhattan." Tony followed Loki over to the kitchen and watched him pour his drink. He sat at a bar stool across from Loki at the stove.

Loki slid it over to him and their fingers brushed lightly. Tony's stomach flipped. He cleared his throat.

"So. Will you tell me what your book is about now?"

"All in due time, Stark." Loki took two veal steaks out of the fridge and sprinkled them with salt.

Something occurred to Tony. "Stop it with the 'Stark this' and 'Stark that'. Just call me Tony."

"All right...Tony." He coated a pan with butter.

"Also, I think it's time for you to tell me about you and Thor in drag."

Loki sighed and rolled his eyes. "Ugh. Well to clear things up, it wasn't my idea." The steaks sizzled as they hit the pan. He leaned his hip against the counter, cocktail glass in hand.

"He's kind of an idiot sometimes, isn't he?" Tony hadn't meant to say anything but it sort of slipped out.

"Try 'idiot all the time'. He is so tiresome." He smiled. "But we did have fun as children."

"Back to the point. You, Thor, dresses. What happened?"

Loki put a sauce pot on the stove. "Well, Thor woke one morning to find Mjollnir, his hammer, gone. But to be fair, he didn't exactly lock it up. I tried to convince him to use a protection charm, but-"

"He is not a fan of magic, is he?"

Loki chuckled bitterly. "You could say that. Anyway, I thought that Thrym, the king of the giants, might have stolen it. So I went to go see him. He said that he would only return it if he could have Freyja's hand in marriage. Freyja was supposedly the most beautiful goddess, you see.

"The gods had a meeting to determine the best course of action. It was chaos, everybody was in a panic. Then Volstagg, Thor's comrade, had the most brilliant idea; Thor would dress in Freyja's clothing and impersonate her in order to infiltrate the wedding banquet."

"I'm guessing Volstagg's not the brightest crayon in the box," Tony interrupted.

"Well, he's Thor's friend, isn't he?" Loki raised an eyebrow at him.

"True. That smells delicious, by the way. Is it ready?"

"Yes." Loki plated the veal, scattered it with mushrooms and poured the sauce over it. He added a dollop of mashed potatoes and sauntered over to the table.

"I, of course, needed to accompany Thor so he wouldn't muddle the already idiotic plan. I was to pose as a woman and stay by his side as his handmaiden." He brought over two wine glasses and took a seat opposite Tony.

"I don't envy you." Tony said. He took a bite of the veal and groaned indecently. "Oh. My. God. This is the best thing I have ever tasted."

Loki smiled and continued his tale. "Thank you. Anyway, Thor and I arrived at the banquet. He wore a wedding gown and I wore a handmaiden's frock. Thor is capable of eating almost as much as Heimdall, a factor I mistakenly forgot to consider. So, before I could stop him, he had eaten an entire ox, a net full of salmon and six barrels of mead."

"Holy crap."

"Yes, even I was impressed. Thor simply can't resist a banquet."

Tony snorted. "I'd say. What happened next?"

"Thrym, despite his rather low intelligence level, noticed something was wrong. When he asked why his bride had such a large appetite, I quickly responded that it was because she hadn't eaten for seven days due to her excitement."

"Nice save."

"I think so, yes. Thrym accepted it without question but decided to make his future wife wait no longer. He went and grabbed Mjollnir and, holding it aloft, prepared to say the vows."

Tony chewed loudly.

"Thor, being the impatient buffoon he is, ripped off his bridal gown and seized his hammer. Then, he beat all the giants to death with it, starting with Thrym."

Tony stopped chewing. "Scary."

"It was more comical than anything. Thor, stumbling around in a torn wedding dress? Priceless." He snickered.

Tony laughed too. "Yeah, I'd like to see that. Did he really drink six barrels of mead and then fight off an entire party of giants?"

"Yes, the Aesir can hold their liquor. But I could outdrink Thor any day."

Tony scoffed. "Nah."

Loki leaned forward. "Oh, yes," he breathed with a leer. "The Jotun are even heavier drinkers than the Aesir." His eyes flashed red.

"I think it's time you exhibit that skill."

"Oh? Would you like to have a competition?"

Tony leaned in as well and looked straight into Loki's eyes. "Bring it on."

* * *

"Why is this even called a Loki?" Tony asked, examining the clear liquid.

"It's actually called 'Loki's Revenge'. You will soon find out why." He grinned mischievously.

Tony knocked back the shot and was surprised by how light and fruity it was. The liquid was smooth and silky, with no taste of alcohol. "I thought you said this had a high alcohol content," he said, confused.

Loki knocked his head back and drunk his as well, adam's apple bobbing. He smacked his lips. "Just wait."

Suddenly, Tony's insides were on fire. His throat burned and his stomach singed. "Oh my- woah."

"Mmm. Yes. Do you still think you can out drink me, Tony?"

Tony coughed. "Ack. Yeah, definitely. Yep." His voice was raspy.

Three shots later, Tony was starting to feel drunk. Loki showed no signs of intoxication. But after another six for Loki and two more for Tony, they were both light-headed and grinning.

"Woah. I think you win, I'm drunk." Tony giggled.

"I can tell. Care to sit by the window?" He strolled over to the black leather chaise lounge. Tony followed.

Loki sat down gracefully, Tony plopped down beside him.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Loki asked, brows knitting.

"Move so elegantly." Tony made a vague gesture with his hands.

"When I was a child, I took dancing lessons. Before long, though, Odin decided it was a woman's pastime and I had to give it up. I wasn't allowed to dance or paint, play music, or practice magic."

"That's so sad." Tony looked at him somberly. Suddenly, a grin broke out across his face. "Loki, would you like to dance with me?"

Loki looked surprised, then he smiled. "I would love to, Tony." He walked over to the radio and turned it on.

The swell of a symphony filled the room as Loki took Tony's waist. The shorter man held onto his shoulder and they clasped hands. Loki closed his eyes and began to sway to the music. Tony followed suit. Suddenly, he pulled Tony in a circle, twirling and pivoting around the apartment.

They continued like this for some time, just drinking in the sound of the music and the feel of each other. Near the end of the piece, Loki opened his eyes and pulled Tony closer.

Tony looked up at the god. He held his eyes a moment, then let them drift downwards towards his mouth. There they lingered, examining his lips. Surprising himself, Tony leaned forward and closed the small gap that was between them.

Loki's lips were surprisingly soft and supple. Tony pressed a kiss to them tentatively, as if to ask for permission. He pulled back and again looked at Loki. Loki grinned devilishly and pushed him onto the chaise lounge.

The god straddled his legs and leaned back in, pressing his mouth onto Tony's. He licked the seam of Tony's mouth and fisted his hands in his hair. Tony opened his mouth, allowing Loki's tongue inside. They explored each other, pushing and pulling. He could feel the god smiling against his mouth.

Tony broke off the kiss. "Wow. You're good."

"I was known as quite the temptress back on Asgard."

"Temptress?"

"Yes, when I posed as a woman."

"Wait, wha-" Loki shut him up with a rough kiss.

"Shh, Tony. It's a tale for another time." Loki whispered into the soft shell of his ear. He bit Tony's earlobe. Tony leaned in and sucked on his pale throat, extracting a groan from Loki.

Loki took his lower lip and sucked on it gently. He moved his way down the engineer's jaw and onto his throat, leaving a trail of heat in his wake. Tony moaned.

Loki hooked his fingers in the waistband of Tony's jeans. Tony, in return, ran his hands up Loki's back beneath his shirt. He scraped lightly with his fingernails and the other man shuddered.

Loki stopped kissing him and pressed his forehead against the engineer's, sighing softly. He curled up beside him and took his hand. Tony rested his head on the god's chest. After a while of just listening to each other's uneven breathing, Loki spoke.

"I'm surprised it took you this long."

Tony shifted so he was facing the god. "What do you mean?"

Loki gave him a mischievous glance and ignored the question. "I have been teasing you."

Tony's intoxicated mind finally got what he was saying. "Wait, you've been planning this? My... uh..."

"Yes, ever since I laid eyes on you in that coffee shop."

"Why didn't you just take what you wanted?" The thought scared him.

"Because, Tony," he purred, arching his back, "There's no chase, no game that way. I felt you were going to be something special. I wanted to savor you." Loki eyed him hungrily.

"Am I? Something special?"

Loki, in response unbuttoned Tony's shirt a bit and sucked on his collarbone. Tony sighed with pleasure, the air ruffling the god's hair.

Loki kissed him again once, chastely, on the lips. He tucked Tony's head into his chest and ran his fingers through the engineer's thick, black hair. Tony pushed into the caress and his breathing slowed, becoming deeper and more regulated. His eyes fluttered shut.

They fell asleep like that, the god and the engineer, curled together in the shadow of the dark city.

* * *

**Dear wonderfully patient readers,**

**Finally, what you've all been waiting for: Tony getting off his ass and getting to it with Loki. Yay!**

**I deeply apologize for taking so long with this chapter. I have never, ever written smut or anything like it ever before (Did I do okay?), so please excuse the delay. This chapter refused to be written. Also, it's the longest chapter yet. Over 2000 words! *pats self on back***

**I also took awhile with it because I was planning out the actual plotty part of the story, which will start soon enough. I think this fic will end up being around twelve or thirteen chapters, although you can never tell where it might take me.**

**Thank you, as always, for your spectaculacular reviews and favorites. This story has over 100 followers now, and 40 reviews! If I get up to 150 followers and 60 reviews, I'll maybe have a little prize oneshot. :) Also, thank you, cara-tanaka, for your editing prowess!**

**This week's special prize is... *drumroll* your very own Loki helmet and Chitauri staff! If you're having trouble at school or work, just make the bitches kneel before you! (They were made to be ruled after all!)**

**My boundless affections,  
****RagAndBones**

**P.S. I love suggestions! Any kinks you'd like to see appear? Any funny jokes you've got? Send 'em in!**


	7. A Book by Any Other Name

Tony awoke, as he did more often than not with a hangover and a warm body pressed against him. Eyes still closed, he snuggled in, desperate for the heat and the closeness. He could feel the hot breath on his neck and an arm around his waist. He shifted his cold feet and stuck them beneath the other pair of legs. The legs, in return split and tangled themselves around his own. He sighed happily.

Something shifted behind him. He felt a smooth hand come around and slide up beneath his shirt, tickling gently.

"Mmm, that feels nice."

There was a grunt as a response. A pair of lips kissed his shoulder, trailing up to his neck. They parted and sucked gently, teeth scraping.

Tony opened his eyes and took in the elegant pale arm wrapped around him. He trailed his fingers across it, making the skin rise into gooseflesh. "Good morning," he whispered.

"And good morning to you as well."

Tony's eyes widened at the distinctly male voice. He flipped around and pinned his companion to the chaise lounge. Taking in Loki's mildly amused features, he gasped.

Loki smirked at his aghast expression. "Surprised to see me?"

Tony grimaced and patted his chest, checking to make sure he was still clothed. "Oh my god."

"Yes?" Loki looked positively wicked. He was lazily drawing circles on Tony's thigh.

It was very distracting. "Uh... um... What happened last night?" He made a noise in his throat.

"We ate. We drank. We danced. What else was there? Oh, yes!" Loki cried, clapping his hands together, "You succumbed to my infinite charm and seductive personality."

Suddenly, Tony remembered through his splitting headache. He had drunk several of Loki's cocktails and asked him, in an intoxicated stupor, to dance. Then... he had kissed Loki. Him. Tony freaking Stark, playboy to the extreme, womanizer extraordinaire, had kissed Loki. Multiple times. Tony groaned loudly and rubbed his face with his hands. Holy. Shit. Well, I suppose he's not doing anything harmful, and since when have I been one to turn down sex?

"I have something for that hangover." The voice drew him out of his daze. He looked down at the god lazing in the morning sun.

"Ugh, yes please. I can't think straight." Tony rubbed at his temples. "When did this happen? When did I become attracted to... men...?"

"You're not attracted to men," Loki jeered. "You're attracted to me."

"I suppose..."

Loki got up and rummaged around in the fridge. He pulled out a glass covered in tinfoil that was full of a thick brown liquid. He sauntered over to Tony and shoved it under his nose. "Drink up."

Tony, taking one whiff of the foul stuff, refused. "Ugh, gross! It smells like your fridge barfed."

"Am I going to have to make you drink it?" Loki said with a disconcerting smile.

"No, uh, that's okay," Tony sputtered. He pinched his nose shut and tilted the liquid into his throat.

"That's better," Loki sang with a condescending pat on Tony's head.

Tony glared.

Loki suddenly disappeared into the door leading to the bedroom. He re-emerged a moment later, holding what looked like a book. "I believe it's time to reveal my secret."

"Don't tell me," Tony said. "That's your's book?" He grabbed for it eagerly.

Loki hid it behind his back with a coy glance. "First, I must tell you my story."

Tony leaned back against the chaise lounge and crossed his arms like a sulky child. "Fine."

"First, I should have you know that I came to Midgard with absolutely no concept of daily life for humans. I reserved a small amount of magic to use when I got here in order to obtain electronic currency. It was risky but paid off in the end."

"Wait. So you just walked into a bank and magicked the teller to make you rich somehow?"

"No, it was much simpler than that. I manipulated the computer binary code to reprogram it. But I digress. After a while, I became accustomed to daily human life. I even ended up enjoying it. However, it got very dull very quickly. I realized I needed something to occupy my time with. I took a few jobs, most of which I failed miserably at."

"Like what kinds of jobs?"

"I tried my hand at a librarian but that simply grew tiresome. I was caught too often reading when I should have been sorting. Also, I was a barista for a while but I am hopeless at making coffee."

Tony chuckled.

"One day, I was at the library-"

"You're always at the library." Tony laughed. "You're such a nerd."

"Says the man who stays in his basement all day playing with robots. And stop interrupting."

The smile on Tony's face was replaced with a glower.

"I found a book on authorship and publishing. It seemed like an easy way to make money and I'd already had experience with writing as an adolescent. Although I didn't need it, I found that spending money I'd made myself was somewhat satisfying. So, after some research into the subject, I found that the most likely genre to be published was-"

"Romance." Tony looked at him.

"Yes. How did you know?" Loki looked somewhat surprised.

Tony waved his hand dismissively. "Doesn't matter. Wait, so you're telling me that you, Loki Laufeyson, write smutty romance novels?"

The god grinned. "Not just any romance novels." He brought the book out from behind his back and placed in Tony's open hands.

The engineer's eyes bugged. The title was instantly recognizable as one of the most popular romance novels around. Tony had seen countless women reading it at bus stops. Pepper had a copy. He even thought he'd seen it on Clint's bedside table.

"You wrote this?" Tony squeaked.

"I did." He looked almost worried, as if Tony wouldn't approve.

Tony stared at him incredulously. Then, after a beat, he laughed. He kept laughing, like it was the funniest joke anyone had ever told. Loki looked sort of shocked then chuckled as well. "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard," Tony said as he wiped tears from his eyes.

"I agree," said the god with a smile. "And I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into. My publisher is demanding a second book."

"Wow. Can I read it?" Tony waved the book in the air.

Loki shrugged. "I suppose."

They looked at each other for a rather awkward moment. "So," Tony said.

"So," Loki echoed.

"I'd better go," Tony said, looking out the window. "Pepper will be wondering where I am."

"Yes, I'm sure she will." Loki took Tony's coat and held it out for him.

Tony put it on it gratefully and walked over to the door. "So I guess this is goodbye."

"If you want it to be," Loki said. He leaned over and pressed his lips to Tony's in a chaste kiss.

Tony grabbed his collar roughly and pulled him close. He kissed him hungrily, clutching at his lapels.

Loki smiled into his mouth and shoved Tony against the wall. He brought his leg between Tony's own and kissed him back, tongues mingling. The god bit him hard on the neck and Tony groaned. The engineer shoved his hands up Loki's shirt and scratched him, leaving red marks all along his back and Loki, in return, sucked at the base of his throat. He pinned Tony's wrists against the wall and stared at him from beneath his lashes. A rakish grin split his face.

"Ugh, don't look at me like that."

"Why not?" Loki asked innocently.

"Because it's too tempting," he said, pulling away from the other man. "I really should be going, anyway."

Loki sighed dejectedly and gave him the most pathetic glance he could muster.

"Oh, don't look at me like that, either."

Loki opened the door and walked over to the elevator. "Can you call a cab?"

"Yeah. Good thing, 'cuz I wouldn't be able to survive another trip on the back of your bike."

The god smirked. "I hope to see you again soon, Tony."

"How about tomorrow morning in the coffee shop?"

"Perfect." Loki smiled warmly. He leaned over and kissed Tony a final time, long and slow and deep.

"You're just trying to make me stay, aren't you?" The elevator doors slid open and Tony stepped inside.

"Of course," Loki responded.

"I'll see you tomorrow," said Tony with a wave.

"Tomorrow," Loki promised and the elevator doors slid shut with a ding.

* * *

Tony arrived at Stark Tower in a cloud of questions. He threw his coat down on the nearest chair and tromped down to his workshop to think.

Sweeping a worktable clear with his arm, he grabbed a half-constructed Starkphone and a few screwdrivers.

"Sir?" Jarvis's voice echoed through the space.

"Shut up, Jarvis. I'm trying to think." Tony snapped. He knew that he wasn't going to tell Fury or anybody else about Loki being alive and well on Earth. But, strangely, he felt sort of... guilty. It was an unfamiliar sort of feeling and one he couldn't really ignore. If something happened and Loki went crazy, he'd be held responsible.

I guess I could just keep an eye on him, he thought. That wouldn't be too hard, considering he and Loki were on the verge of... what? A relationship? Dating? Being boyfriends? Tony scoffed at the thought. Loki being anyone's boyfriend was absurd. And Tony didn't really date. The only thing that had even resembled dating was his fling with Pepper but that had only lasted a few weeks.

Tony resolved to keep seeing Loki, if only to keep an eye on him. But he also knew that that wasn't the only reason. Tony found himself, for the first time, wanting to be in a relationship that was for more than just the sex. Not to mention he's a spectacular kisser, he thought before he could stop himself.

Suddenly, Jarvis spoke. "Miss Potts is coming downstairs, sir. She requests that you accompany her to a meeting with Director Fury."

"My god, can I not get any time alone? Tell her I'll be up in a few."

* * *

**Dear fantastic readers,**

**Things are picking up now, finally. The plottiness is coming, but not until the chapter after next. The next chapter will be a flufftastical date chapter. So. Here's the deal: if you want to see Tony and Loki go on a certain date or do a certain activity, send me a review (or PM)! *makes Tom Hiddleston adorable pleading eyes* Please, I need ideas! (Can't guarantee I'll use them, but still.)**

**Thanks to cara-tanaka, as always, for being my spectacular beta. And thank you, dear readers, for your follows, favorites and reviews! Thanks especially to the guest reviewers, since I can't send you a thank-you PM like I do everyone else. ****On a side note, a guest reviewer (ASDFG) left a request for some overprotective Thor action. It's gonna happen, don't worry. All the Avengers will show up in the chapter after next, and, thanks to you, I will make sure to throw in some extra Thor.**** :)**

**Finally, the prize for this week's reviewers. *drumroll* You receive... a copy of Loki's romance novel! Full of steamy goodness, this one will _definitely_ keep you up late reading. :)**

**With all my limitless adoration,  
RagAndBones**

**P.S. Suggestions? Anyone?**

**P.P.S. I very much enjoy writing fanfiction, so you can bet there will be another after this. Probably also frostiron, and probably an AU.**


	8. Breaking the Ice

Loki and Tony went back to their daily visits in the coffee shop for a few weeks. Tony went away on a SHIELD- related business trip for a week but came back as soon as was possible, just to see Loki. Loki was busy as well; meetings with his editor were frequent.

It was Tony's first day back from his trip. He and Loki were sitting in the window of the coffee shop, watching fluffy snow swirl around outside.

"Do you like snow? I hate the cold." Tony asked.

Loki scoffed. "Have you forgotten that I am Jotun? I was born to enjoy the cold."

"Oh yeah. Hey, I've got a question: is that affected by your non-magical state? Do you still turn blue sometimes?"

Loki gave him a sharp look. "Who told you my skin becomes blue?"

Tony looked sheepish. "Thor. He was drunk."

"The answer is yes. I do retain my Jotun properties without magic. I am still highly resistant to the cold and my skin changes colour. It is part of me and cannot be changed."

"Hm. Oh,I forgot. I picked up something for you on my trip." Tony rummaged through his bag. "And maybe we could have dinner again sometime soon." He raised his eyebrows suggestively at Loki and slid a box across the table.

"You did not need to go to the trouble of bringing me-" The god's eyes widened at the contents of the box. A small pendant hung on a silver chain. It was rectangular and intricate, with intertwining snakes and a knotted border. The snakes wound around each other forming an S shape. Loki took a moment to recover. "It's-"

"-your symbol, I know. I was only supposed to go to Germany but I stopped in Norway on the way. I saw this in a gift shop window and thought I might bring it back to you, just for kicks. Just to let you know, I don't give any of my other dates presents, so you'd better take care of it."

Loki continued staring at the necklace. "Thank you. I haven't seen this symbol for years. It still marks me as a prince of Asgard and is very special to me."

"You're very welcome. In return however, I'm asking for a favor." Tony leaned forward on his elbows.

"Yes?"

"Cancel all your plans for next Sunday. I'm sending a car to pick you up at eight. Dress for the cold, although you probably don't need to."

"Is that an order, Tony?" Loki asked flirtatiously. "I don't respond well to orders."

Tony just smiled excitedly at him and bit his lip. Suddenly, he swept his coffee into his hand and was at the door. "See you Sunday!" he winked. The bell tinkled behind him.

Loki wondered what he'd just gotten himself into.

* * *

Loki waited outside his apartment in a leather jacket and his favorite scarf. His green eyes scanned the passing traffic for any car that might be Tony's, although he knew Tony was not one for punctuality. Surprisingly, however, a sleek black car pulled up moments later. The driver's side door opened and a chauffeur clambered out. He skirted the car and opened the door to the back seat. "Mr. Laufeyson, Mr. Stark requests your presence."

"I gathered. But where, do tell?" Loki asked as he slid into the seat.

"I'm afraid I can't say."

"How mysterious." He settled into the seat and stared at the snow out the window.

The car pulled up in an unfamiliar spot. The chauffeur after opening Loki's door, led him over to a very enthusiastic-looking Tony under a patch of trees.

"Thanks Happy," Tony said, addressing the chauffeur.

"No problem, boss." He left, whistling.

Now Tony turned to Loki. "Do you know where we are?"

"I have a feeling you're about to tell me." he replied.

"We're at the Rockefeller Center, the heart of Manhattan. And-" he brandished a duffel bag "- we're going ice skating!"

Loki just looked at him, unimpressed.

"Oh, come on. I thought you frost giants would be all over ice skating. I assume you've skated before?"

"I could skate circles around you, Tony."

"I'd like to see you try. Shall we?" He held out his arm.

Loki took it, rolling his eyes. "Fine."

After lacing up their skates, they took to the ice. With a swish and a scrape, Loki was already halfway down the rink. Tony caught up quickly and they skated pleasantly alongside each other. Suddenly, Loki stopped staring at a sign that was hanging from the lamppost.

"Tony," he said hesitantly. "What day is it?"

Tony smiled. "It's February fourteenth. Happy Valentine's day, Loki."

Loki looked at him and raised his eyebrows. "I would think you would not be one to celebrate this day." He smiled. "But I suppose I am an exception, aren't I?"

Tony smacked his arm lightly. "Don't get so cocky about it."

After a pause, Loki spoke. "Where did you learn to skate?"

"I played hockey as a kid. You?"

"As children, Thor and I would frequently go exploring. We discovered a frozen pool and learned with a bit of help from our mother. I picked it up much more quickly than Thor, as you can imagine."

"Actually, I can't really imagine him in skates at all." Tony chuckled, the sound accompanied by the scraping of their skates.

"It was quite a sight to see." Loki laughed. He looked at the engineer. "Would you like to play a game Thor and I invented?"

"Um, sure." Tony said hesitantly.

Swiftly, Loki swirled around and began skating backwards but positioned so he was facing Tony. He reached out and with a nimble pinch, plucked Tony's striped hat right off of his head. He skated away, cackling.

"Oh no you don't." Tony growled as he raced after him.

They weren't the only ones in the ice rink. The other skaters flew past as Loki dodged them effortlessly, even while skating backwards. Tony struggled to keep up, almost hitting an old couple on his way past. He changed tactics and crouched behind a mother and her child in an attempt to surprise Loki. His head whirled around, looking for the mischievous god. Suddenly, he felt arms around his waist and a mouth at his ear.

"I told you I could skate circles around you, Stark." Loki nibbled at the top of his ear.

"And I-" Tony grabbed his cap from Loki's pocket "- got my hat back regardless." He smirked arrogantly. Leaning in, he sucked gently on Loki's lower lip.

Loki, in return hooked his fingers in Tony's belt loops and pulled him closer. He nuzzled his nose affectionately.

Tony felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw a flabby middle-aged man and his angry-looking wife staring at the two of them.

"Can I help you?" Tony asked.

The man's chin wobbled as he spoke and his fat lips bubbled with saliva. "Yeah. Why don't you and your faggot boyfriend get the hell out of here? Go fuck somewhere else. It's disgusting."

Tony was shocked. "Excuse me? Why don't you and your ugly wife-"

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his arm. "Tony," Loki spoke softly. "I'll handle this." Loki stepped closer to the pudgy man and placed his hand on his neck, leaning into his ear. The man was too surprised to stop him.

Tony could see his lips moving, whispering into the guy's ear. He watched as the man's eyes widened and he started to tremble. Suddenly, Loki made a growling noise in the back of his throat and his eyes flashed red.

The guy stumbled back and grabbed his wife's arm and with a mumbled "We have to go, honey, now-" he staggered out of the rink.

Tony stared after them in shock and turned to Loki, who was grinning smugly. "What the hell did you tell him?"

"That will remain a secret, I believe. You remember I am also known as Silvertongue?"

"Mmm, definitely. You have a talented tongue, for sure." Tony grinned and looked wistful.

Loki smacked him on the arm. "Save the reveries for later, Stark."

"Fine. So, I guess it's on to our next destination." Tony said cheerfully.

"Next destination? Haven't I suffered enough?"

Tony pushed him out of the rink and they removed their skates. "Just trust me, Laufeyson. Get in the car."

With a quick word to Happy, they sped down the street.

* * *

**Hello, scrumptious readers!**

**Guess what?! I lied! I am a lying liar! I said there would only be one date chapter, but it got really long. So. There will be a continuation of the date in the next two or three chapters, and _then_ we'll get to the plotty stuff. Sorry! Also, I was going to update them in quick succession, but then school happened. :(**

**Okay. So. Ice skating, good date, no? I am a big fan of romantic ice skating. Also, I wanted to put in some Loki badassery, so I had to stick in a stupid homophobic couple (which my beta, cara-tanaka, and I think resemble the Dursleys). ALSO! The necklace Tony gives Loki? I have a picture of the symbol on my profile, check it out! **

**More news! I said that once we got to**** 150 followers and 60 reviews, I would have a little prize. Well, we have reached the review goal, but I still need about 12 follows to get the prize. The prize was originally going to be a chapter, but since this chapter got super long, It's going to be some art instead. Yay! (If you want to see more of my art, there's a link on my profile to my art blog. I'm also on deviantart, same username.)**

******One more thing! I am really liking this fan fiction thing, and so I think I'll write another. I want to write a frostiron high school AU, probably just like 5 chapters. After that, I have an idea that has the potential to be spectacular, but will need a lot of planning. Thoughts?**

******Thank you, as always, for your wonderful reviews and follows, and thank you, cara-tanaka, for correcting run-on sentences like this one.**

******Love you from the bottom of my heart!  
RagAndBones**

******P.S. Aha! I bet you thought I forgot the prize this week. All who review shall receive... *drumroll* a necklace just like Loki's! Feel the power in your royal Asgardian symbol as it swings in the breeze.  
**


	9. Blue Snow

When they pulled up to their next stop, Loki gave Tony a look that would catch a lesser man on fire. Why?

Because it was the zoo.

Loki had read enough romance novels to know that this was just too cliched for words. "First ice skating, now the zoo?"

Tony just grinned at him, unafraid of his terrifying glare. "Yep. Come on, let's go."

He trotted up to the gate and bought their tickets, Loki following closely behind. Tony squinted at a map while Loki adjusted his scarf.

"What animals do you want to see? We haven't got a lot of time here, 'cuz we need to go to lunch next."

"Tony." Loki spoke softly. "What is the purpose of this?"

The engineer looked at him incredulously. "Isn't it obvious?"

Loki shook his head.

Tony laughed and nudged him. "That's probably for the better." He smiled and continued on his way, Loki trudging along behind him.

They visited the elephants and the penguins per Loki's request and the tigers, for Tony. Afterwards, they stopped at the little cafe outside and picked up some lunch. Eating their sandwiches on a park bench outside the zoo, they watched the people go by.

"Tony."

Tony turned to face Loki. "Yes?"

"When that idiot man-"

"Don't worry about it," Tony interrupted.

"If you would just let me finish," Loki snarked. His face softened. "He said I was your boyfriend. Is that what you consider me as?"

Tony looked surprised. "Well, I dunno. I haven't really given it much thought." That was a lie. After a moment's thought, he finally settled on an answer. "If you want to be."

"Good answer," Loki replied. "I usually am not one for titles but if you wish for me to be labeled as such, I have no objections." He daintily wiped his lips and mushed his paper napkin into a ball.

Tony leaned back onto the bench and put his hands behind his head. "Well, I never thought I'd have a boyfriend. Let alone one who's an immortal Norse God."

"Do not let it go to your head," Loki scolded. He leaned over and pecked Tony on the lips briefly. Standing, he added "Shall we?"

Tony took his hand and stood as well. "We shall." He walked to the car waiting at the curb and opened the door for Loki.

Loki slid inside and Tony next to him. The door shut with a thud.

Loki turned to Tony. "Is there any chance you can tell me where we are going?"

"Nope." Tony grinned.

Loki leaned over and slid his hand behind Tony's neck. He pressed a passionate kiss to Tony's lips, extracting a whine from the engineer. Tony fingered the hem of his shirt, exposing his pale belly. "How about now?" Loki leered.

"Not quite."

"Fine," Loki scowled. He slid his legs over Tony's, straddling him and pressing him to the seat. Arching his back, he took Tony's face in his hands and pressed his lips to the engineer's. Their tongues found each other and Tony slid his hands up the back of Loki's shirt.

Suddenly, Happy turned around. "Hey. Guys! If you have sex in this car, I am never coming to work again."

Tony broke away from Loki and sucked in a deep breath. "Oh my god, Happy, calm down."

"Yes, Happy. I was simply exploiting Mr. Stark's sexual desires for information," Loki added innocently.

Happy rolled his eyes. Tony and Loki looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Loki looked at Tony. "Was that sufficient?"

"For now, yes. Anything further may have scarred Happy and we can't have that." Tony leaned over to him and whispered, "We're going to a winter carnival, dear."

"Really, Stark? A carnival."

"Yes. It'll be fun. Now, get that stick out of your ass." Tony chided. "I bet I'll beat you at the carnival games."

Loki scoffed. "Surely not."

"We'll see."

* * *

Tony made a mental note not to challenge the god to anything in the future. Not only had Loki cleaned up at the games but he made Tony carry each oversized stuffed animal he won. The engineer trudged through the snowy path between the booths, laden down with a plush banana, bear and unicorn while Loki happily worked his way through a puff of cotton candy.

Loki tapped Tony on the shoulder lightly and held out a piece of cotton candy. Tony, his hands full of stuffed animals, leaned down and sucked it off of the god's fingers. He laughed at Loki's surprised face.

"Hey, do you want to ride the ferris wheel?" Tony said.

Loki looked bewildered. "What?"

Tony tried to gesture with the unicorn's horn to the wheel looming above them. "That thing. It'll be fun. You're not afraid of heights, are you?"

"Me? A fear of heights? Never," Loki responded.

"It's settled then," Tony said as he bought two tickets.

They boarded the tiny car, Tony stuffing the plushies under the seat. After a few jerky movements, the car began rotating. Loki scooted in closer to Tony.

Tony laid his head on Loki's shoulder. "This is nice. I have never done anything like this before."

"Nor have I." Loki stroked Tony's head, causing the engineer to lean into his touch.

"My situation has always been the 'one fuck and you're done' philosophy. I don't think I've ever actually dated anyone. It was always about the sex."

"Do you mean to say this is not just about the sex?" Loki replied.

"Well, how could it be? We haven't even-"

Suddenly, Loki's lips were on his. After a moment, he pulled away. "Shh, Tony." He pressed Tony's head back to his shoulder and resumed running his fingers through his hair.

Tony closed his eyes. After a pause, he spoke. "That is partly what this is all about."

"Tony, do you mean to say this entire ridiculous situation is simply about luring me into your bed?"

"Um. Maybe." Tony said.

Loki chuckled. "You humans are so predictable."

Tony sat up and looked into his green eyes. "What do you mean?"

"You assumed I wasn't willing to bed with you." He grinned. "However, it may just be _me_ luring you into _my_ bed."

Tony smiled. "Don't assume I'm not willing, either."

They grinned at each other. The ferris wheel came to a halt and the car opened, Loki exiting the car. Tony followed.

"Well, now I have something to look forward to." Tony said. Suddenly, he yelped. "Did you just grab my ass?!" he hissed to Loki.

Loki looked smug.

Tony scowled. He slipped his phone out of his pocket. "Shit, we're late."

"What for, may I ask?"

"Dinner, duh. We have reservations."

* * *

They sat at a table in the corner, the candle making the shadows dance across their features.

Loki laughed. "You were quite the trickster in boarding school."

"Something you can relate to, I'm sure." Tony replied.

They had finished their meal and were waiting on the check, swapping tales of past mischief in the meantime. A waiter appeared and poured them each another glass of wine.

Loki trailed his long, pale fingers around the lip of the glass. "Tony, what are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?" Tony sipped his wine.

"We can't keep this-" he gestured between them "-a secret indefinitely."

"I wonder," Tony mused, "whether Fury would have a seizure or a heart attack if I told him."

"Why not both?" Loki smiled at him.

"Both is good." He paused and the smile slipped off his face. "I wonder if we could tell them."

"Thor would certainly object."

"I thought he somehow had faith in your goodness or whatever."

Loki pursed his lips. "It is not about that. He has had a history of... issues with my past lovers."

Tony cringed.

"He is quite overprotective. If he were to discover our relationship, I would be afraid for your safety."

Tony furrowed his brow. "You could have warned me there were hazards to dating you."

Loki just raised his eyebrows.

The waiter arrived with the check and Tony signed the slip of paper. He gathered his coat, Loki doing the same. The god wound his green scarf around his neck as they walked out into the cold.

"If you don't mind, I told Happy to go home. He's had a long day and I live not too far from here."

"I do not mind in the least. I enjoy walking through the city." Loki exhaled, his breath forming a puffy cloud of moisture.

Tony stepped forward and peeked around the block. "I think that if we go this way, we can go through Times Square." He led the way.

As they walked, Loki watched the people around them. The city was bustling with activity, even so late at night. Business men and women, families, young couples all passed, engrossed in their own destination. Loki looked back at Tony, strolling carelessly, hair askew, hands in pockets. The god smiled.

"You know what's funny?" Tony mused to the sky.

"Hmm?"

"You're almost human now." He turned his head to Loki. "If you didn't have your magic, would you age normally? Would you remain immortal or what?"

"It is a difficult question to answer." He took Tony's hand. "I do not know."

Snow began falling from the dark night sky. It came in light flakes, dusting everything within a few moments.

Tony observed Loki. The white snow was stark against his black lashes, and it was sprinkled across his cheeks like freckles. His hair had flakes stuck in the inky strands. Suddenly, he spotted a patch of blue on the tip of Loki's ear. And a tiny bit at the end of his nose.

"Uh, Loki," Tony said, brushing the snow of the god's nose, "Your ears are turning blue."

"Damn." Loki wiped the snow off his face.

Tony could see where the snow had been, it had left quickly-disappearing patches of blue across his nose. He giggled. "I think it's cute."

Loki shoved him against a wall. "Anthony Stark," he hissed, "I am a prince. I am a god. I could crush you without a thought. And I am NOT cute." He spat the final phrase at the engineer, his eyes burning.

Tony just looked smug. "Whatever, cutie-patootie."

Loki's mouth set into a hard line and he let Tony go. He stalked away, Tony on his heels.

"Wait, cutie-pie! Don't go!" Tony giggled again.

Loki looked at him incredulously. "You are a blithering idiot." He looked up at the sky. "I believe we are about to have a blizzard."

"How can you tell?" Tony asked. Then, he looked up as well. "Oh."

The dark sky was thick with white flakes, floating gently down to earth. "We should be going." Loki said. "It is only a few blocks from here, is it not?"

"Um, yeah."

The snow fell almost all at once, coating their shoulders and hair with its cold wetness. Loki removed his jacket and held it over his head but to no avail. Dark wet patches appeared on his green shirt.

Tony grabbed Loki's hand and sprinted to the end of the block. He could feel moisture soaking through his clothes. He chuckled. Here he was, on a street corner in the middle of Times Square, running through the snow with a frost giant. He shivered, his teeth chattering together.

Loki leaned over and rubbed his shoulders. "When we get to the tower, I shall find a way to get you warm."

"Do you have something in mind?"

Loki whispered in his ear, and, surprisingly, used the polite words. His voice was low and seductive, making Tony's stomach flutter.

"Really?" Tony asked. "I think that'll do the trick." He grinned like a fool, running down the street with the god.

* * *

They reached the Tower quickly and stumbled into the elevator, huge grins plastered across their faces.

"Jarvis, take us u-" Tony's voice was muffled by Loki's lips on his own. The god explored his mouth, running his tongue over Tony's. The elevator doors closed, Jarvis had obviously gotten the message.

Loki gently kissed Tony's top lip. He did the same to the bottom, then scattered tiny bites across its length. Tony shuddered and found the god's long, pale neck, sucking gently.

The elevator doors opened and they stumbled out. Loki threw the engineer against the wall and shucked off his jacket in one fluid motion. He began working at Tony's shirt buttons while sucking on his collarbone.

Tony, meanwhile, was trying to get Loki's soaked shirt off. He lightly brushed the base of the god's spine with his fingers and Loki arched his back to the touch. Finding the hem of the shirt, he tugged it over the god's head. Loki pulled Tony's shirt off at the same time.

They stood there, admiring each other. Loki's eyes were immediately drawn to the arc reactor, which cast a blue sheen over their wet bodies. Tony, however, couldn't stop looking at something peeking just over the god's waistband.

"Loki," he said slowly, "Is that a tattoo?"

Loki just smirked and pulled his waistband lower, slowly. It revealed what looked like a rune, etched in black just over his hip bone.

"What does it mean?" Tony breathed.

Loki stepped forward, gracefully. He gave Tony a chaste kiss on the lips and trailed his fingers down the engineer's chest. He let them linger as he padded away, his green eyes locked on Tony's. Without a word, he disappeared down the hallway to the bedrooms.

"Fucking tease," Tony mumbled as he loped after Loki down the hall.

* * *

**Dear wonderful, transcendant readers,**

***twirls moustache* Ohoho! Finally, some Loki-Tony sexytimes (and on Valentine's day, too)! Loki is so hardcore with his motorcycle and his tattoo. ;) ****An extra long chapter this week, just for you. **

**I am, again, very sorry for the wait between chapters. You can blame that horrible, horrible institution they call _school_. *shudders* Ugh.**

**For a while, I was trying to update on Wednesdays, but you can see how that turned out. From now on, I'm going to try and update on or around the weekends, hopefully a chapter per week.**

**Thanks to all you spectacular, beautiful reviewers. You are my favorite people in the world. And I couldn't have done it without the best beta in the world, cara-tananka. **

**Your prize this week is a coupon for your very own tattoo, paid for courtesy of those two rich bitches (you know who I mean). They just ask that you please don't get a tattoo of them doing anything obscene. Thank you very much.**

**I have had art block lately, so maybe your mini prize _will_ be a one shot. Oh, well. Time will tell.**

**I love you all!  
RagAndBones**

**P.S. The next chapter will be plottiness, fear not. And some overprotective Thor, too. And yelling. Lots of yelling. ;)**


	10. Pancakes and Protective Brothers

Tony's eyes fluttered open in the morning sun. Closing them again, he took a moment to absorb where he was, sensing and feeling the warmth of the bed and the sunshine. He could feel Loki's form wrapped around him. Tony savored the god's breath tickling the back of his neck and he smiled, snuggling in closer. He felt pleasantly sore and reveled in the sensation.

Loki stirred with a groan, sending Tony's eyes flying back open. He flipped over so that he was on his side facing the god and watched as Loki pulled the covers over his eyes.

"Turn off the light." the god mumbled.

"Morning to you, too, sleeping beauty." Tony chided. "You are just a ray of sunshine."

Loki blindly swatted in the general direction of his face. "Go away."

Tony just laughed and dodged his pale hand.

The god poked his head out from beneath the black bedsheets with bleary eyes and a scowl. His hair was askew, sticking up in all directions and stuck to the side of his face with sweat. He mumbled something angrily to himself.

"What was that?" Tony grinned.

"'Tis none of your concern, mortal."

"Ooh, fighting words. You're a mortal now too, at least hypothetically, remember?"

Loki groaned loudly and crawled back under the bedsheets. "It is too early for this, Stark."

Tony turned him over. "Actually, I don't think it i-"

Suddenly, he found himself with his wrists pinned to the bed. Lok's face hung above him, his black hair coming down in an inky curtain around his snarling face. "Do not anger me, Stark. I have a reputation for brutality and mercilessness this early in the morning."

Tony smiled. "It's almost noon, actually."

Loki's face morphed into a mask of surprise and he sat back on his haunches. "Oh. Well, then." He slid off the bed and made his way into the bathroom.

Tony's eyes followed his pale form. "Hey, I thought that was maybe leading up to something, some angry sex-" the bathroom door slammed "-okay, then. Never mind." He smiled to himself as he heard the tap turn on.

Rolling off the bed, he rummaged around on the floor until he found what smelled like clean boxers. He pulled them on, grimacing a bit at the soreness when he stood up. He checked his phone for any new developments in Stark Tech stock and skimmed a few emails from Pepper.

Tony was very experienced when it came to sex. But last night it had seemed that even he was outmatched. He had expected the sex to be good, spectacular, even. But he had not expected it to be literally breathtaking.

Loki came out of the bathroom looking more bright-eyed than before, a towel wrapped low around his waist. He sauntered over to the patch of floor where his clothes had been haphazardly strewn the night before. He started getting dressed, then turned to face Tony, who was watching unabashedly. "Do you mind?"

"Nope." Tony looked smug.

The a corner of the god's mouth drew up in a lopsided smile. He pulled on his shirt and underwear, then, for a moment, stared at Tony.

Tony stared back, taking in Loki's lanky shape. A familiar silence hung in the air.

Suddenly, Loki opened his mouth. "Would you like pancakes?" He asked.

Tony leaped off the bed. "Race you to the kitchen!" he called out behind him.

* * *

The sound of pancakes sizzling on a hot griddle filled the air. Tony and Loki bustled around the kitchen, though Loki was doing the bulk of the work. The god rummaged through the fridge for some maple syrup when he felt a hand on his ass.

"Tony," he scolded without turning around, "please concentrate on the pancakes."

"But how can I when you're standing right there?" he whined. "And- oh shit-" he ran to flip over the burning pancakes.

Loki smirked and finally found a bottle of the golden syrup. Flipping the pancakes onto two plates, he brought them over to the table. Tony followed with glasses and silverware.

They sat down to eat, Loki lightly pouring syrup over his pancakes. Tony doused his in the stuff, shoving a bite into his mouth. He chewed slowly, closing his eyes and savoring the taste. "These are the best pancakes I have ever had."

Loki smiled and licked maple syrup off his finger. "Would you expect anything else?"

"No, actually." He took another bite. "I expect you to cook all my meals from now on." he said through a mouthful of pancake. He stabbed a few more and piled them all on his plate.

Loki took his last few bites of pancake and dipped his finger into the maple syrup on his plate. He lifted it to his lips, beads of amber forming on the tip. His tongue darted out to taste.

Tony stopped chewing, momentarily distracted.

The god made eye contact, still sucking on his finger. Suddenly, he stood, sweeping up his plate and glass and dropping them into the sink.

"You are such a tease," Tony whined.

"It keeps you wanting more, does it not?" Loki grinned.

Tony sighed. He stuffed the last bites of pancake into his mouth and brought his dishes over to the sink as well. "You wash, I'll dry." He sauntered over to the dish rags and on his way past, swatted Loki on the behind with one.

Loki, in return, sprinkled him with water and handed him a clean dish.

They washed and dried in companionable silence for a while until Loki handed Tony the last dish. Once it was safely in the cabinet, the god came to stand in front of the engineer.

"Thank you for helping me." he said.

"No problemo." Tony replied. "What now?"

"I have an idea," Loki breathed, leaning in to give Tony a long, deep kiss.

"I like that idea." Tony hooked his fingers in the waistband of Loki's borrowed pajama pants. He pulled him back in, hungry for more.

The god wrapped his arms around the shorter man's waist and lifted him onto the counter, never breaking their kiss. He placed himself between Tony's legs, hands on either side of his thighs.

Tony fingered his soft, black hair, their tongues intermingling. Loki tasted like syrupy sweetness and something else, too, something ancient and rare. His skin was unnaturally cool, almost like metal or stone.

The god pressed his hand to Tony's chest, feeling the arc reactor through his shirt. His cold fingers danced around its edge, making Tony's breath flutter. The engineer could feel Loki smiling.

Loki's hands switched to his thighs and began traveling slowly upwards from his knees. Tony's breath quickened and he kissed the god harder.

Just as the engineer was about to burst with want, about to beg the god to stop teasing him and give him what he craved, the elevator doors opened with a quiet ding.

Tony sighed, angry to be interrupted. "Jarvis, please shut that door. I-"

Suddenly, he saw that they were not alone. In the kitchen, standing with mouths open in utter shock, were Clint, Steve, and Fury.

After a beat of paralyzed silence, Tony cursed. "Well, fuck." He then called out a halfhearted, "Jarvis, security breach."

Loki turned around and saw their visitors but regarded them cooly, almost with disinterest.

Hawkeye was the first to speak. "Uh, what? I mean, wait. What?"

Steve looked like he was about to pass out.

"What," Fury squeaked, then regained his composure, "What in the hell is going on here?"

"Well..." Tony began.

"Is that who I think it is?" Steve peeped.

At this, Loki stepped forward and Tony slid off the counter. The god, sliding his hand around Tony's waist said "I am Loki, of Asgard."

Hawkeye suddenly made for the gun strapped to his thigh but Tony, surprisingly, was faster. He stepped in front of the god, his hands extended. "Don't shoot! Please. I can explain."

"You'd better," Fury snapped. He stared at Loki menacingly.

Loki rolled his eyes.

"Why did you come here in the first place?" Tony demanded.

Clint pulled a newspaper from under his arm and threw it at Tony's feet. The cover was a blurry photo of himself and Loki at the zoo, embracing each other. The headline read STARK'S SECRET MYSTERY MAN?

"Shit." He should have been more careful.

"When we saw it, we didn't believe it could be him." Fury gestured to the god. "I'm glad we came over." He walked over to the elevator and pushed the button. "Hawkeye, Steve, keep an eye on these two. I have to go get some backup then we're taking them to SHIELD HQ. Oh, and here," he threw a high-tech pair of handcuffs to Clint "- put these on the magical one." With that, the doors shut.

Clint immediately turned to Loki. "Is this some kind of spell?" he demanded. "Are you doing to him what you did to me?" The archer roughly grabbed his wrists and shoved them into the handcuffs. "Like these? They'll suppress your magic, you bastard."

"Hey, Clint." Tony was inches from his face. "Don't call my boyfriend names, got it? Only I'm allowed to do that."

"Wait, boyfriend?" Steve said. "You and Loki- you're, um, together?" He looked exceedingly uncomfortable.

"Well, duh. Did you not just walk in on us making out?"

Steve turned beet red.

Hawkeye rubbed his temples. "How the fuck did this even happen?"

"Look, it's not my fault he's like seduction on legs, okay?" Tony shrugged. "One thing led to another, which led to passionate sex, which led to-"

"That's enough, Tony," Steve interrupted, turning redder by the second.

"Yes, Tony," Loki said, barely suppressing a laugh, "That's quite enough."

"Hey, baby," Tony said, nudging Loki, "I like you in handcuffs. We should try that sometime."  
"I would love to but it would not be I who would be handcuffed." Loki leered.

"Really?" Tony replied, inches from Loki's face. "Shall we find out?"

The engineer heard a click behind his head and turned to see the barrel of a gun right between his eyes. "Don't," warned Clint. "Don't test me."

Tony threw up his hands, backing away from the god. "Fine, fine. Calm down." He pushed himself back up onto the counter, clasping his hands together.

Loki leaned against the counter, lazily draping his arm across its surface. He stared at Steve, his green eyes locking on the captain's blue. Steve's gaze shifted, casting furtive glances in the god's direction.

Hawkeye, meanwhile, glared at the god with fury in his eyes. Loki ignored him.

They remained awkwardly silent until the chopping of helicopter blades filled the air. Hawkeye went out onto the helicopter deck and after a quick word with the pilot, stepped back into the room. He grabbed Loki none too gently and shoved him out onto the deck. Tony was escorted by Steve and both were thrust into the helicopter.

* * *

Tony was seated across from Loki in a cold grey interrogation room. The god looked totally relaxed, his sinewy form draped over the cold metal chair. Tony, meanwhile, was twitching, tapping his foot on the floor in a nervous rhythm.

"How can you be so calm?" he whispered.

"This is not the first time I have been captured, Tony. Nor is it the first time my choice of lover has angered someone."

"You realize they can hear us, right?" Tony shrugged in the direction of the two-way mirror dominating the side of the room.

"Of course," Loki replied, turning to smile at the glass.

On the other side of the dark mirror, Agent Coulson felt a shiver go down his spine. Whether by chance or by some kind of magic, Loki had managed to look directly at him.

Fury grunted and narrowed his eye. "I have never, not in forty years of being a commanding officer in the military, had to deal with anything even remotely like this."

"I know, sir. I have never seen anything like it before. Dr. Selvic says he isn't giving off any traces of magical energy, either," Coulson replied, referring to the god. "Neither is Stark. I hate to say it, but maybe what they say is true. Maybe Loki no longer possesses magical capabilities."

Fury furrowed his brow. "His brother would know. Bring in Thor."

Coulson relayed instructions into a walkie talkie.

* * *

The door burst open with a metallic clang and the god of thunder stormed through, his blue eyes wide with anger. He stormed across the room, stopping just in front of an unintimidated Tony.

"You." he growled.

"Me." Tony snarked.

Thor gritted his teeth, grabbing Tony's shirt front. His fist clenched and he yanked the engineer up to meet his snarl. "How dare you touch my brother."

Tony squeaked. "What?"

"I have overlooked your... frivolity in the past but I can do so no longer. You have violated my trust." Thor glared at him, awaiting a response.

Tony smirked. "Actually, it wasn't me doing the violating."

The god gave a tremendous yell and shoved the engineer against the wall. His feet dangled at least a foot above the ground.

"Stark," Thor hissed. "I believed us to be allies. Friends, even. But this-" he shook his head in furious disbelief "- this cannot be forgiven. One does not simply bed a friend's brother."

Tony's head was ringing from being hit against the wall. It throbbed in pain and anger. "So, what? Was I supposed to ask you before I fucked your brother? You're not his father, you know. You're not even his real brother."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Thor's eyes skated across his face in shock, then narrowed with a ferocity Tony had never seen. He growled and threw Tony against the concrete floor.

Tony yelped in pain. His shoulder took the bulk of the impact and he lay on the floor, groaning.

Thor grabbed his shirt again, dragging him to meet his face. "Fight me, Stark." He pulled him roughly to his feet.

Tony stumbled forward and threw a punch to the god's face, connecting with a cheek. Thor, in return, swung his fist into the engineer's gut, sending him reeling. He threw another punch to Tony's nose.

The engineer wiped his nose, the back of his hand coming away bloody. "Fine, then." He charged forward, ramming into the god's stomach and sending them both sliding into the leg of the table.

They wrestled for control, the god's superior strength giving him the upper hand. However, Tony dodged his attacks more often than not. "You bastard," he growled. "I'm not gonna-"

"Tony. Thor."

The voice came from Loki, who was standing on the other side of the room, his arms crossed.

Thor and Tony immediately separated, looking into Loki's angry face. "Yes, brother?" Thor asked, his voice full of worry.

Loki marched over and dragged Thor to his feet, glaring into his eyes. Drawing his hand back, he slapped the god of thunder across the face with a painful smack. Thor clutched his face, looking hurt.

"Thor," Loki hissed. "How dare you take ownership of me. I am able to make decisions for myself, do not assume that since you see yourself as my brother you are able to pass judgement on my actions. I am not-" his voice cracked, he looked broken "- I am not your brother."

He stalked over to Tony. He caressed his bloody face with his brows knitted. He wiped the blood off as best he could and drew the engineer into a long, deep kiss. Tony returned the kiss, his arm snaking around the god's waist. Thor watched, a painful expression on his face.

Coulson turned to Fury behind the one-way glass. "I would assume that means he's not using magic."

Fury massaged his temples; he could feel a migraine coming on. "You assume correctly. It also means our problem just got a lot more complicated."

* * *

**Hello sumptuous readers!**

**Here's some over-protective Thor (and some bitch-slapping Loki) for y'all, just 'cuz I love you so much. *blows kisses* And some more fluff, 'cuz apparently I just can't resist.**

**Well, our boys have gotten themselves in a sticky situation, now haven't they? A bit of angst in this chapter, but nothing compared to what is to come. MUAHAHAHA!**

**I hate to say it, but I probably won't be updating the next chapter next week. My schedule will be PACKED with tests and crap. Not fun. :( Wish me luck!**

**Thanks as usual to my beta, cara-tanaka, who honestly has to be the quickest editor out there. Thank cara for my ability to update so quickly!**

**Also, thank you to all my awesome reviewers. I love you, seriously. You make my life better. On another note, this story's view stats have now gone OVER 9000! Thank you for making that happen! If you guys could try to submit it into some communities or something, that would be amazing.**

**Your prize this week, you ask? Well! You shall receive, with every review, your very own pair of handcuffs and muzzle from the set of _Avengers_! Although I take no responsibility for your actions with them. Just don't do anything illegal. ;)**

**You have my eternal devotion!  
RagAndBones**

**P.S. This is the longest chapter yet. Almost 3,000 words! Now kneel, bitches, and the next might be even longer. ;)**


	11. Break Me Gently

_He felt cool metal beneath his long fingers, trailing along their surface. He muttered something long and complicated under his breath, in an ancient and dead language. The bars disintegrated and he smiled. He stepped out into the darkened hall and disappeared._

_He felt a sucking sensation and suddenly could feel a light breeze at his back. His cloak wrapped around him. Beneath him, a chasm of impenetrable blackness drew his gaze. Closing his eyes, he jumped._

_He tumbled through the vortex, plummeting at an incalculable speed past stars and galaxies. He fell for what felt like forever. Finally, however, he slowed. Black, slick pavement approached at a concerning speed, when, suddenly-_

Loki woke with a start, his head whirling around the dark room. This was the third time he had had this dream in as many days and every time it ended the same way. He patted the bed next to him, feeling a warm but empty spot. He slid out from underneath the covers and trotted out into the kitchen, where Tony was standing over the counter.

Loki walked up and slid his arms around the engineer's waist, nuzzling into the base of his neck. Tony placed his hands over Loki's.

"I had the dream again," muttered Loki.

"Really? That's the third time, right? What do you think it means?"

"I know not, although it seems to have some importance." He brushed his thumbs along Tony's waistline.

Tony sighed and leaned into him, looking content. "Are you going to go back to sleep?"

"I fear not. My sleeping schedule has been altered since our release."

They had been kept by SHIELD in an underground base for a few weeks, just until Fury was sure that Loki really wasn't a threat and Tony wasn't under the influence of magic. Afterwards, they had been told to return to their proper homes with no further instruction. Although they did initially separate, they found themselves sleeping (or not, as the case often was) at each others'.

"Mine's been messed up too, though I don't think it was just that," Tony replied with a leer. "Neither of us has been sleeping much lately."

Loki smirked. "I suppose not." He breathed deeply, and untangled himself from Tony. "I should be getting back, I have a meeting with my editor in a few hours." He found his shirt, pants, and coat, slipping them on over his pale skin.

Tony pouted. "Oh, can't you stay a bit longer, dear?" He rocked back and forth on his heels, giving Loki an absolutely stunningly powerful cute face.

Loki, through much effort, resisted. He looped his scarf around his throat and kissed the engineer goodbye.

Tony heard the elevator ding in the hall, and the doors shut. After a beat, he asked the darkness, "Well. What now?"

_"May I suggest you call Ms. Potts-"_

"Ugh, Jarvis. That was supposed to be rhetorical."

_"My apologies, sir."_

Tony huffed and locked himself in his workshop.

* * *

A few days later, Loki was off on a business trip to meet with some publisher in Boston. His flight came in in an hour and Tony was just waiting for his return. He had been flipping channels, utterly and totally bored. He caught the tail end of an episode of Doctor Who, but now the only things on were spanish soap operas and the news. Taking into consideration the fact that he did not speak a word of spanish other than the phrase, _Que te llevo a la cama conmigo esta noche?_ (which was, actually, not entirely useless given the circumstances) he elected to watch the news.

The anchor, a moderately pretty blonde, was rambling on about the stock market when she put a hand to her ear. "This just in," she said, "An explosion has been reported in the upper west side of Manhattan. The cause is unknown, though we are sending a helicopter to investigate-"

_Oh, please,_ Tony thought. _Can't criminals just take a day off?_ He sighed and rolled off the couch to fetch himself another drink.

In the kitchen, Tony opened the drinks cabinet (more like a drinks closet) and picked out a bottle of amber liquid. He sloshed some into a cup, and grabbed a pop tart off the counter.

He trundled back to the couch and plopped down, closing his eyes and taking another bite of the pop tart. He contemplated dipping it in his drink, but thought better of it. The TV droned on.

"_Jen, this is helicopter five with a visual on the explosion site. We have no information on possible causes, though- hold on -it looks like there's somebody in the building, on the top floor! It seems to be a man, emerging from the smoke. He's got what looks like a- oh, you're not gonna believe this, Jen. He's got horns, on his head, and-_"

Tony's eyes flew open and he sat bolt upright. The television showed a skyscraper on fire, smoke billowing out of the topmost floors. The camera zoomed in, revealing a shadowy, soot-coated figure.

There, a flash of green. Gold, sinister horns curved out of the top of his head. Tony couldn't breathe. His eyes searched the image, desperately, for any signs of a trick, but he saw none. Every detail was the same, from the familiar sharp cheekbones to the delicate fingers fluttering with green magic.

He felt as though his insides were caving in, his internal structures failing, his ribcage collapsing. He raised his hands to his head- _no no no he said he had no magic, he promised he didn't_ -and drew his legs close to his chest. _What else wasn't true? Was all of it a lie?_

Suddenly, his phone rang, AC/DC's _Back in Black_ issuing out of the tiny speakers. Tony fumbled for it, dropping it a few times before pushing the right button. He didn't speak, just held it up to his ear, his eyes still glued to the screen.

"Stark." It was Natasha. "Stark, do you know what's going on? Are you watching the news?" Her voice was smooth and controlled, as always.

Tony swallowed; Loki vanished from the tower in a shimmer of green onscreen. "Yes," he said, his voice breaking. "Yes."

"Then tell me. What's going on." Her voice wavered with anger and what may have been fear.

Against his will, Tony's pent up emotion came tumbling out. "I don't know, _I don't know._ He told me he had-" deep breath, to keep from crying "-told me he had no more magic. I trusted him, I believed him. I _trusted_ him." He paused again, covering the phone to regain his composure. "He told me he was on a trip, he's coming back in an hour."

"Thank you, Tony." Natasha's voice was gentle. There was a click.

Tony took a deep, shaky breath. He rubbed his hands in his hair and let the tears come.

* * *

Fury and the others came within five minutes. Tony numbly registered their arrival, but he did not move from where he was. His eyes were still glued to the TV screen, though it had been turned off for a while now.

He saw Fury sit next to him, felt him shaking his shoulder. Fury gave up after a few minutes and began directing the others and Steve took his place beside the engineer. Tony felt an arm around his shoulder and heard Steve's muffled voice.

"_Tony, you need to snap out of it. Tony. Tony?_"

The engineer sighed and turned his wet eyes to Steve's concerned face.

Steve smiled grimly. "Tony, if Loki's really coming back here in a few minutes, we need to capture him and take him to SHIELD. We need to be ready for him. And for that, we need you."

Tony closed his eyes and took a rattling breath. He swallowed loudly and spoke, his voice thick with despair.

"What do you need me to do?"

* * *

**Dear emotionally traumatized readers,**

**Oh, I'm so so sorry. Angst and hurt-filled chapters are the worst. But brace yourselves, for there is even more to come. *sobs* Poor boys, they just can't catch a break. This chapter's short, but important. I hope the next will be longer.**

**So, apparently Tony likes pop tarts too. Maybe he and Thor can bond over that. And also, apparently Loki is evil again. Hmmm... *strokes beard* What are your theories? I can't tell you if they're right or wrong (probably), but I'd LOVE to hear them!**

**Thank you very much to cara-tanaka and all my wonderful reviewers. My writing machine runs on reviews, so the more you feed it, the faster the chapters will come.**

**Speaking of reviewers, your review prize this week will be something to get you through the next few chapters of emotional trauma. You will receive either a Loki or a Tony plushie for you to cry on and hug when you have feels. They have a special feel-soothing stuffing made of 100% pure puppies, bacon, and homosexuality. Yay!**

**The next chapter will hopefully be up on the weekend. Ta ta!**

**I cherish you all!  
RagAndBones**

******P.S. I hope this thing will wrap by by the end of October, I think I'm going to try to do National Novel Writing Month and I won't have time to write in November. But once it's done, I have another fic almost ready. And maybe I can find time to write a few FrostIron oneshots. ;)**


	12. Two Raw Hearts

The door opened with a gentle click and Loki's silhouette appeared in the frame. "Tony?" His voice rang out in the dark tower. He flipped on a lightswitch and dumped his coat and duffel on a chair. "Tony, where are you? I have returned."

He spied Tony's form slumped on the couch in front of the TV, asleep. Loki smiled sweetly and covered him gingerly with a blanket. Leaning over, he kissed him on the forehead. He stood a moment, taking in the sight, a smile still on his face.

Suddenly, rough hands yanked him back, tugging his head up by his hair and shoving a cloth over his mouth and nose. Loki tried to cry out but the sound was muffled by the sweet-smelling cloth. He tried to hold his breath, feeling the cold end of a gun against the nape of his neck.

Tony stirred at the noise, sitting up and throwing off the blanket. He stood, his back to Loki, while the god looked at him helplessly, black spots forming at the edges of his vision.

Tony turned to face him, his eyes burning with hatred. Loki flinched.

The engineer approached him, looking like he was about to break. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He looked away and tried again. "You- you lied to me."

Loki was losing his hearing, and his vision was fading to black. But he thought he heard Stark add, "I should never have fallen in love with the God of Lies."

The god slumped, unconscious.

Tony gazed out the window as they carelessly dragged Loki's limp body into the elevator. A lone tear rolled down his cheek before he wiped it clean away.

* * *

Pepper was on one of her visits to Stark Tower to check up on Tony. They had always been necessary to ensure he hadn't choked on his own vomit or slipped, drunk, in the shower. But their necessity increased exponentially after Loki's betrayal. She unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"Tony?" she said quietly. "I've brought you some groceries."

She wandered around the kitchen, simultaneously putting away groceries and tidying up. A dozen or so empty bottles littered the counter, drops of amber liquid at their bottoms. Pepper sighed, putting the alcohol bottles into the recycling.

Once she had finished up in the kitchen, she moved to the bedroom. She steeled herself for what she would find when she opened the door and turned the knob.

The room was pitch black, all the curtains drawn over the floor-to-ceiling windows. Stomping over to the curtains, she yanked them open and sunlight flooded the room. She waded through empty bottles to the bed. A mass of blankets was gathered at the center of the bed, barely breathing. Without any warning, she ripped the blankets off to reveal a curled up Tony, his eyes shielded against the sun.

"Wha- Pep, geddoff. I'm sleeping-"

"Yeah, well you've been 'sleeping' for the past three months. You need to get up and get out of this room."

Tony opened his crusty eyes, his head ringing with a hangover. "Pep, leave me alone. I can take care of myself."

"No, _you can't_! You have been wallowing in your own self-pity for so long, you can't even feed yourself. You've lost ten pounds. Tony," she cried, "You're killing yourself."

Tony sat up, his hair askew, his clothing rumpled and dirty. He reeked of alcohol. He raised his eyes to meet Pepper's. They were dead, totally and utterly defeated.

Suddenly, she stood straight, crossing her arms. Her voice took a commanding tone when she spoke. "You need to go see him. He's been asking for you since the day of-"

Tony recoiled, leaping to his feet. "No!" he shouted, his eyes wild. "No, I can't. I can't." He shook his head, cradling it in his hands.

"You need to and you will. Be ready in half an hour, I'm coming to pick you up to take you to SHIELD." She turned on her heel and left him, the door slamming behind her.

Tony sat on the edge of the bed and hung his head in his hands, squeezing his eyes shut.

* * *

The black town car glided through traffic to SHIELD, its occupants in uncomfortable silence.

Pepper had somehow made Tony shower and change. Phil Coulson really couldn't figure out how she could control Stark, she seemed the only one that was able to. _Well, her and-_ he stopped himself before he could think the name. Stark seemed like he would shatter apart if it was even thought of in his presence.

They reached the base and were whisked downstairs in the elevator, to the sub-basement. Tony didn't say a word the entire time.

The doors opened with a hiss and Coulson led the way down an empty hallway. At the end there was a solid steel door in what looked like a bombproof wall. Two heavily armed guards stood on either side of it. "You'll need to be sterilized before you enter, just for security reasons." Coulson gestured to a door leading into a spray booth.

Tony stepped inside wordlessly and closed his eyes, a fine spray dusting him over the head. They stepped down to the end of the hall. Coulson entered a code into a keypad on the side of the door and it scanned his retina, the lock popping open with a thundering clunk. He opened the door and Tony stepped forward reluctantly, the door closing behind him.

The cell was fairly dark, and it took a moment for Tony's eyes to adjust. He blinked a few times, focusing on an inky shape on the other side of the cell. He gasped.

Loki was suspended from the ceiling by shackles around his wrists. He was on his knees, his head hung low and his hair in a matted, dirty curtain before his face. He was dressed in only a bloodstained pair of jeans, the ones he was wearing the day he was captured. All along his pale body were red, angry gashes, their edges tinged with a sickly blue.

Tony felt sick looking at him. He stumbled over and kneeled in front of the god, his eyes pricking. He reached out a tentative hand and brushed his filthy hair aside, revealing Loki's grisly face.

The god's eyes were closed, his breath ragged. Tony tilted his chin up to look at him, and Loki's eyes slid open. They were hazy, defeated, their brilliant emerald reduced to a dull green.

"Oh, Loki. Oh, my god. What... what happened? What the hell, did they torture you?"

Loki wheezed, the sound sick and weak. "They were merely... very persistent in their questioning." His voice was thin and rusty. He regarded Tony coldly, his eyes burning with an anger Tony had never seen before.

Tony stood and backed away, shock registering in his face.

Loki laughed bitterly and stood up. "What do you need, Stark? Why have you come _now_?"

Tony looked confused. "I thought you _wanted_ me here. I thought you'd been asking for me."

"Oh, no, here you are, insisting that _you_ are the center of my universe. I am not _dependent_ on you, Stark."

The blood pumped in Tony's ears. Raw, red anger coursed through his veins. "I thought I could trust you, Loki. My mistake, I guess you never needed me in the first place."

"Trust me? Trust _me_?! I opened my _heart_ to you, Stark," Loki seethed, his voice gravelly. He lunged forward, the chains clattering but was stopped short by his shackles. "You are just as selfish as you appeared when I first met you." He chuckled darkly, the red rims under his eyes catching the light. "And here you are," his eyes swept Tony's body scathingly, "playing the_ hero_."

Tony felt exposed and raw. He burned white-hot, full of fire and anger, lashing out at Loki. "I _am_ a hero. And you are a villain. We can never be together. You are a bad guy, Loki, I had to do what I did-"

"Had to?! You_ had_ to throw aside everything you knew about me for the months we were together and believe what_ they_ had told you? Were you really that ready to think I would abandon everything I had built with you in favor of senseless violence?"

"No, I-"

"I am surprised that even you were so selfish." His green eyes were hard and piercing.

Suddenly, Tony's anger dissipated, replaced with crushing guilt. He couldn't breathe. He collapsed to the ground, falling hard on his knees.

Loki watched him fall, a pang of sorrow in his gut. He pushed it aside.

Tony body shook with silent sobs, his breath ragged and uneven, his face in his hands. This was just what he had feared, the reason why he hadn't come to see the god. He was ashamed, afraid that he had been wrong. It was this, not Loki's supposed betrayal, that had kept him away for so long.

"I am sorry, Loki." His voice was thick. "I am so sorry."

When there wasn't a response, he turned his eyes to the god. Green eyes met his brown and he instantly understood what Loki couldn't say. Loki had not been responsible for the attack. He was hurt and betrayed but also could not bring himself to blame Tony.

Tony was at his side in a heartbeat, his fingers feathering over Loki's skin, unsure if he was allowed to touch. Loki gave the smallest nod and Tony embraced him, his salty tears stinging Loki's gashes. Loki inhaled sharply, and the engineer relented.

Tony studied the god's face and Loki did the same. They had both thinned, their hair unkempt, each with bags under his eyes. Two sides of the same suffering.

Tony laughed. "I missed you," he said with a smile.

Loki did not return the gesture. "You realize it will never be the same, Tony."

Tony caressed his face, gently. "I know."

Suddenly, the cell door burst open. A frazzled-looking Coulson charged inside, striding over to Loki and immediately unlocking his electronic shackles with a hiss. Loki rubbed his wrists, looking confused.

"You're free to go," Coulson said.

Tony furrowed his brow. "What? But he-"

"Mr. Stark." Coulson held up his hand. "There has been another attack."

* * *

**Greetings, amazing, fantastic readers!**

**Apparently I just _love_ torturing you with cliffys. But you guys already knew I was evil, right? Our two protagonists here have found themselves in a bit of an emotional pickle. The mystery of the other Loki is still, well, mysterious. There were some _very_ good guesses on the identity of Other Loki, or Loki2, and one of you actually got it totally right. As soon as the mystery is revealed (which will hopefully be in the next chapter) I well tell you who it was that got it right. Feel free to keep guessing!**

**Also! There's a link on my profile to a pic of Loki's tattoo. Check it out!**

**Thank you to all my wonderful, spectacular readers and especially reviewers! I had a really hard week and you guys made it all better, thanks! Thanks also to the lovely cara-tanaka, she is the reason I can update so quickly. *flails***

**Your prize for reviewing this week? That's easy! With the easy price of one review, in three to five business days you will get a bottle of SHIELD-brand chloroform! Now _nobody_ can reject your hot self, 'cuz they'll be unconscious! :D (For those who don't know, chloroform is what was used to knock Loki out. It's a colorless liquid that smells sweet and can put you under real fast. Isn't that fun?!)**

**My endless devotion is yours!  
RagAndBones**

**P.S. Hopefully we will have some Jotun!Loki in the next few chapters! Blue is the new sexy, people.**

**P.P.S. This story is being translated into German by the scrumptious aeron4! As soon as I have a link, I'll stick it up here. Also, the beautiful Aruyn is going to be cosplaying as _my _version of Loki! I cannot express how excited I am for those pictures. *faints* You guys are the greatest!**

**P.P.P.S. This story has 20,000+ words now, I never thought it would go this far. And 100+ reviews! Woah! **


	13. Kiss and Make Up

"What do you mean, there's been another attack?" Tony demanded.

"There's video footage coming in of Loki attacking a building downtown," Coulson said. He turned to Loki, as did Tony. "Any ideas?"

Loki had his eyes cast towards the ground. "I have been waiting for this."

"What?" Tony said. "You've known there was going to be another attack, even with you in prison?"

Loki turned to him, his green eyes cool and steely. "Not only that. I know who is responsible."

Coulson's eyes widened. He pulled out his walkie-talkie and barked orders into it, demanding a full-on crisis meeting in the conference room.

* * *

"Hold on," Fury said. "You mean to tell me that when you were imprisoned you managed not only to discern that there would be another attack around this time, but also who the culprit is?"

Loki smiled grimly. "Naturally."

"My brother is exceedingly intelligent," Thor interjected. "He is adept at unravelling schemes."

Fury raised his eyebrows. "Huh. And are you going to tell us what you have 'unravelled'?"

Loki sighed. "It is I who is behind the attack."

Tony started to object, but Loki held up a hand to silence him. "However, it is not _all_of me, only a part."

There was a beat of confused silence. Maria Hill broke it with a puzzled "What?"

"Let me explain. In order to make my escape, news of which obviously has not been communicated to Asgard due to the broken Bifrost, I duplicated myself. He would stay in the cell while I would make my escape to live out my life on Midgard. I poured all but a scrap of my magical capabilities into this duplicate, so my magic could not be traced. However, I was not aware that he would gain a higher level of consciousness and make his escape."

Clint spoke up. "So you're telling us that you, Loki, the most dangerous villain ever to have threatened the earth, has an _evil twin_?"

Loki looked pained. "In essence, yes."

"Did you happen to pour your mental instability into him, too? Because you seem more-" Banner searched for the right word "-_sane_than the last time we met."

Loki looked at Banner, his face serious. "In a word, yes. Magic has a way of corrupting the mind. But since he is less than a full soul, he is more susceptible to mental injury."

"What do you mean, less than a full soul?" Tony asked.

Loki answered without looking at the engineer, instead addressing his response to the whole room. "The spell I performed was not a simple act of duplication, but instead a tearing of the soul in pieces. I have retained the majority of the soul, but he is in possession of a fair amount."

"Sounds like it hurts," Natasha said.

"It is excruciating," Loki replied, unfazed.

Fury spoke again, his deep voice carrying across the long table. "So how do we kill this thing?"

"I'm afraid that that's where it gets complicated." Loki fingered the hem of the SHIELD-issue shirt he had been given. "It will be impossible to kill him, he is too powerful. But if I can place myself within his company for long enough, and with the right materials, I will be able to reverse the spell and rejoin our souls. I believe that is our only option."

Thor spoke up. "What kind of materials do you need, brother?"

"The items I require are not numerous, but they are difficult to gather. I shall require a dagger and basin from my own possession, both of which I have here on Midgard. But I shall also require a special ink to recreate this binding symbol on his skin." He pulled down the waist of his bloody jeans to reveal his tattoo, an ancient and runic design.

"So it has a function more than just sex appeal," Tony mumbled.

Clint snorted. "So if you and Dark Side have a magical little tattoo party you can reverse all this? Then what?"

Loki's eyes narrowed and he smiled. "Then we will be back where we started."

* * *

"I feel like a hamster in a cage."

Tony was bored. Very, very bored. Tony and Loki had been put under monitored house arrest in Stark Tower while SHIELD drew up a plan of attack. There were armed guards surrounding the tower, and they were both confined to only one floor. So, naturally, after an hour, Tony had started complaining.

Loki didn't even look up from his book.

Tony glanced over at him sitting on the opposite end of the couch dejectedly. "I'm going to watch a movie," he announced, hoping for some kind of reaction, but he saw the god's eyes continue to move steadily across the page as though nothing had happened.

Tony sighed and picked up the remote, trying to find the most obnoxious romantic comedy he could stand.

Twenty minutes into the movie, he fell asleep.

* * *

Loki's silent demeanor continued well into the next week, and the week after that. SHIELD had gathered the ink, dagger, and bowl, and were now simply waiting for another attack on the duplicate's (or Dark Side, as he had begun to be called) part.

Tony was beginning to show signs of Loki's neglect. In their daily briefings with SHIELD, Thor could see the bags under his eyes deepening and his skin becoming sallower. He drank more, slept more, and the god of thunder was getting worried.

One day, Thor pulled Loki aside after their briefing. Tony returned to his room for another nap, leaving the brothers alone in the hall.

"Brother, your continued disregardence of Stark is becoming worrisome."

Loki glared at him. "You are in no position to tell me what to do, Thor," he spat. "Stark is... He has betrayed me."

Thor looked defiant. "Stark is my friend, and you are my brother. I have come around to accepting your... partnership, and I cannot see you both wasting away because of his mistake. I know he has wronged you, brother. But you must remember, he is _human_, and his life is only so short."

Loki's eyes snapped up to meet his, his brows knitting together sharply. "I..."

Thor placed his hand gently on his brother's shoulder, giving him an affectionate pat. Loki looked distressed, staring into the corner, but did not shrug away the gesture.

Without bringing his eyes up to meet his brother's, the raven-haired god asked, quietly, "What should I do?"

Thor was shocked that his brother asked him for anything, much less advice. He smothered a smile and responded, "Forgive him."

Loki swallowed, and, without another word, closed the door to the living room in his face.

Thor shrugged, a small smile on his face. It was progress.

* * *

Loki's bare feet padded back to Tony's bedroom, the stone floor cold beneath them. The door was closed, and he knocked gently. He heard the engineer stumble out of bed and come over to the door.

"Coulson?" The sleepy voice on the other side of the door said.

Loki tried to think of what to say, but before he could, the door creaked open. Tony poked his head out, hair ruffled, eyes bleary. As soon as he saw Loki, however, he looked wide awake.

"Hi," the god said.

"Hi," Tony responded, somewhat confused. "What's up?"

Loki took a deep breath filling his lungs with air. "I needed to say... I forgive you. Tony, I..."

The engineer's eyes widened. "Really? Loki, I am so, so sorry, I just don't-"

He was muffled by the sound of Loki's lips crashing gracelessly against his own. There was a moment of initial shock, but he soon fell into the kiss, breathing Loki in. It was desperate, needy; Tony wanted to absorb the raven-haired god into his chest and keep him there, safe. Loki, incidentally, felt the same way. They clutched at each other, finding skin on skin wherever they could. Tony could feel Loki's fingers dancing around the edge of the arc reactor through his shirt, tickling the delicate skin there. He ran his thumb over Loki's tattoo, felt him shudder, smiling into the other's lips.

They split, breathless and laughing. Loki came to rest his head against the engineer's chest, closing his eyes. He could see the reactor's blue glow through his eyelids. Tony brought his arms around the god, tangling around his waist possessively. He pecked the top of his head. They took a moment, appreciating their togetherness.

"Move to the bed?" Tony suggested.

Loki leered at him. "Gladly."

* * *

They lay together, tangled among the sheets, breathing heavily. Tony was lazily drawing circles over Loki's pelvis, feeling the delicate bone beneath the skin. Loki had his hand draped over the base of Tony's spine. He trailed his fingers over the knobs of bone, tracing figure eights around them.

"Your feet are cold." Tony poked Loki's foot with his toe.

"Yours are much too warm," Loki replied, and Tony could hear the smile in his voice. The god shifted, closing the space between them and nuzzling into the engineer's neck.

Tony moved his hand to the other's chest, feeling his ribs, one by one. "Loki," he said softly.

"Mmm?"

It came as a whisper, delicate and uncertain. "I'm in love with you, Loki."

There was a shifting of weight, the bed creaking, and Tony felt soft lips against his own. They parted, sucking gently, and Tony pressed into them, tongues tangling.

Loki broke the kiss, resting his forehead against the engineer's in the dark. A pause hung in the air.

Loki's voice was husky and raw.

"Lord help me, Tony, but I am in love with you, too."

* * *

**My very patient readers,**

**I am very, very sorry this thing is late, I got slammed with a buttload (that's a technical term) of homework.**

**In other news, our poor, tortured boys have made up. Woo hoo! Doesn't mean this is the last of the angst, though... hmm...**

**I congratulate those of you who guessed right, good job! Puppies for you!**

**Another thing: I'm working on another frostiron fic, and guess what? It's a high school AU! *jumps in air* Everyone loves those, right? I've got the first chapter done, and a little while after Coffee Rings wraps up I'll start posting it. ;)**

**You prize this week? That's easy! You guys get your very own SHIELD-issue uniforms! Perfect for sneaking into the base... *looks around suspiciously***

**Thanks, as usual, to all you spectacular reviewers and readers, and to cara-tanaka. Cara's really busy, I am so glad she can make time to read my silly little story before it goes out to the masses. ;)**

**This thing should be another four or so chapters, and maybe an epilogue. Just so you know.**

**Love to you all!  
RagAndBones**


	14. HIATUS NOTICE

Hello readers!

I'm sorry this isn't a proper update, and that I haven't posted anything in a long time. I've been totally swamped with homework and I'm really stuck on this story.

However, I have started another FrostIron story, called _Bloodstream_. It's a high-school AU. I'm really excited about it, and it'll be updating much more frequently than _Coffee Rings_. My brain is giving me ideas for that story right now, and I'm afraid I just have to run with it. Maybe you want to give it a try? (Since it's my second fanfic, it'll hopefully be a _lot_ better. )

Just so you know, I am **not **abandoning this story, just putting it on official hiatus.

And remember, I really, really love each and every one of you, and again I'm really sorry.

All my love,  
RagAndBones

P.S. I'm going to start cross-posting this story, and _Bloodstream,_ to Archive Of Our Own (AO3) soon. My username is the same.


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